You did what you had to do
by Bright4286
Summary: SPOILERS FOR SEASON 3! What if Murphy hadn't saved Bellamy and the others when Jaha went to collect Bellamy in Polis when he was under the influence of the chip? What if he had succeeded in bringing Bellamy to the throne room to be tortured by Abby to get the passphrase? Inspired by the line "Her friends are her weakness. Start with Bellamy Blake." Major hurt!Bellamy
1. Chapter 1

_Well guys it's time that i finally begin the first story of my newest __obsession; The 100. I am absolutely in love with this series, Bellamy happening to be my favorite character and, after watching season 3, this idea just would not leave me alone. This story takes place towards the end of season 3 when Clarke is in the throne room in Polis being interrogated by Abby before she shuts down the City of Light. It starts off right before she says "start with Bellamy Blake." I hope you guys love it. Without further ado, chapter one..._

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"What's the pass phrase, Clarke?" I watch as my mom twirls the scalpel in her fingers, the silver tool throwing off a bright glow when the light hits it, her eyes staring lifelessly at me. I search her face, trying to find any trace of the woman who swore to always protect me; I'm met with only a hollow gaze. A single tear slips down my cheek as I shake my head, I can't take the chip. Her eyes harden and she slowly presses the blade against my skin, the sharp tip embedding itself into my upper torso. Pain ignites in my chest as the blade slices through my flesh, digging deeply into the exposed skin. I let out a scream and tears stream down my face, dripping down my chin to mingle with the blood that has gathered around my newest wound. My mother pulls the blade from my body, wiping the area with a cloth before meeting my heartbroken gaze.

"Mom this isn't you! Please..." My pleas land on deaf ears as Abby tilts her head to the side, once again uttering the question she so desperately needs me to answer.

"Clarke, what's the pass phrase?" A quiet sob escapes me as I once again shake my head, refusing to give in to her demands. The woman in front of me sighs, glancing down at the scalpel before plunging the blood covered tip into the skin just below my collar bone. The leather around my neck digs in painfully as I pull against it in agony, my hands scraping against the wooden post that I'm tied to as I writhe under the knife. I suck in a breath as the blade is ripped out of my body, the musty air of the throne room clinging to my lungs. Beads of sweat drip down my forehead as I fight against my restraints in an attempt to free myself, but I stop short when my mom turns her head away from me towards the empty space behind her.

"I told you, her friends are her weakness. If we get to them, she'll break." I stare at her for a moment, panting from the agony I'm experiencing, and try to figure out who she's talking to. It only takes me a moment to realize what's going on; she's talking to ALIE. I open my mouth to speak but I'm cut off before I can get the words out.

"Start with Bellamy Blake." My breath catches in my throat as she utters the command, her words cut through me like a knife.

"Mom, no!" I pull against the ropes around my arms until my wrists bleed, I can feel the warm blood dripping down onto my hands as I struggle. I'm helpless as Jaha exits the room with two Grounder guards in tow, no doubt heading towards where Bellamy and the others are being kept. I watch as Abby walks back over to the table and sets down the bloody scalpel before scanning the other tools with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Mom, please don't do this." My words come out as a whisper and for a moment I think that she's just going to ignore me, but then she sighs.

"Clarke, just tell me the pass phrase and this will all be over. No harm will come to that boy if you just answer my question." A tear slips down my cheek as I shake my head.

"You know I can't do that." A disappointed sigh escapes her as she turns to face me, a remorseless look in her once kind eyes.

"Then Bellamy Blake is going to die." As if on cue, Jaha returns with the guards dragging Bellamy behind them. My friend has his hands tied behind his back and a gag secured firmly around his mouth, a purple bruise already forming on his cheek from his recent capture. When his eyes land on me he begins to struggle fiercely against the Grounders, his gaze automatically shifting to the two fresh wounds in my chest. One of the guards raises his staff and strikes my friend across the face, causing him to stumble and nearly fall. Jaha comes to stand next to my mom as the two Grounders drag Bellamy to the center of the room and force him to his knees a mere five feet in front of me, eyeing me warily as they do so. The boy shifts uncomfortably and glances up at me, a clear question in his eyes. A single tear slips down my cheek as I look over at my mom, who is staring at me expectantly.

"Mom, please. You don't have to do this." I can feel my friend's gaze on me as Jaha nods at my mother, urging her to continue.

"All I need is the pass phrase, tell me and Mr. Blake will be fine." Bellamy inhales sharply at her comment, finally coming to the realization of what's going on, and immediately starts shaking his head at me. He won't let me tell them the pass phrase, he knows what will happen if I do. He also knows what will happen if I don't, and that it could very well cost him his life.

"I'm sorry." Our eyes meet for a fleeting moment, a silent conversation passing between us. All the hope, pain, and fear in that one look is enough to break my heart. There's hope that we're making the right decision, pain in the knowledge that there's no stopping this, and fear for what is coming. After a nod from Abby, Jaha motions at the two Grounders standing at the back of the room and they rush forward, grabbing Bellamy by the shoulders and forcing him to remain on his knees. My friend flinches when one of the guards pulls out a knife, the blade shining wickedly in the sunlight. I immediately start to struggle against my bonds, yelling meaningless apologies that I hope will somehow ease some of the pain that he is about to feel. I'm caught off guard when my mother suddenly appears in front of me with a menacing glare on her face. Without warning she strikes me across the face with her palm, the sudden aggressiveness silencing me momentarily. The second her hand makes contact with my skin, Bellamy starts fighting against his captors, his eyes full of rage. Before I can do anything to stop them, one of the Grounders slashes the knife across his thigh, causing him to yell in pain.

"No!" I jerk against the leather binding my hands but it's no use, it won't budge. Bellamy's cry is muffled by the gag and I can't make out the words he's saying because of the material blocking his mouth, I'm not sure whether that's a blessing or a curse. His breathing quickens as blood drips from the fresh wound, but his struggles lessen slightly. My mom glances between the boy on the floor and I, her gaze darkening.

"Remove the gag, I want her to hear him scream." The Grounders immediately obey her orders and roughly pull the cloth off of Bellamy's mouth, the action causes him to cough slightly. He glances up at me, every trace of pain hidden behind a steely mask. Abby grabs my chin and forces me to face her, motioning towards the boy.

"I'm going to ask you one more time, Clarke. What is the pass phrase?" My eyes wander over to my friend.

"Bellamy, I..." He shakes his head at me.

"It's ok Clarke, I'll be ok." I know he's trying to be strong, to hide the fact that he's terrified of what's about to happen, but I know him too well for that. I can tell he's scared, but there's nothing I can do. I can't let ALIE get the pass code. Bellamy takes a deep breath and sits up straighter, erasing any semblance of fear. My mother sighs, slowly backing away from me.

"Just remember, Clarke, you could've prevented this." She nods at the Grounders and the one on the left raises his staff and brings it down across Bellamy's shoulders, a resounding crack echoes through the room as it makes contact. A gasp escapes my friend but nothing more, he glances up at me and I know he's trying to be strong. He doesn't want to give them the satisfaction of a scream, he won't give them even a small victory. A kick to the stomach has him doubling over involuntarily, right into the closed fist that was barreling towards the face. The blow whips Bellamy's head back and he falls onto his back, his skull connecting loudly with the floor. Before he has a chance to recover, a booted foot connects with his side and a pained grunt flies from his lips. A tears slips from my eye as I watch him clench his jaw, willing himself to keep quiet. One of the Grounders grabs the boy by the hair and pulls Bellamy back up onto his knees, holding him in that position while he sways unsteadily for a moment.

The second he seems to regain his balance, the other Grounder slams his fist into my friend's nose, causing blood to drip down his face in a steady stream. He immediately repeats the action, punching him another six times before throwing him face first onto the floor. Bellamy groans and spits blood on the floor, his eyes closing for a moment before opening them with a renewed strength beaming inside his gaze. Without warning he lashes out at the closest Grounder, effectively sweeping him off his feet before he has the chance to react. Unfortunately, due to his restraints, he isn't able to defend himself when the second Grounder retaliates and grabs him by the collar of his shirt. The Grounder wraps his hands around Bellamy's throat and squeezes, immediately cutting off his air supply. I watch as my friend struggles to breathe, desperately clawing at the strong fingers that are currently stealing the life from him. He gasps for air as the Grounder tightens his hold, his face beginning to turn red from lack of oxygen, and it takes everything in me not to scream the pass phrase for all to hear. Just as Bellamy starts to reach the verge of passing out, my mom steps up.

"Enough!" She motions towards my friend. "Release him." I watch in a mixture of relief and sorrow as the Grounder lets go of him, causing him to collapse onto the hard floor. The boy sucks in lungfuls of air and coughs violently, glancing nervously at Abby. My mom steps between him and I, gesturing at his injuries. "You can stop this, Clarke. Just tell me what I want to know and it'll all be over." Before I can respond, Bellamy speaks up.

"Clarke, don't. You know what'll happen if ALIE gets version two of her programming, it's not worth it." He pants heavily between his words and I know that the beating has taken an immense toll on his body, even if he tries his best to hide it. "I'll be ok, you need to..."

He's cut off when one of the Grounders kicks him in the stomach, causing him to fall onto his side and wheeze painfully. I pull against my bonds and a strangled cry escapes me, my heart breaking at the sight of him lying there. Suddenly my view of him is obstructed when my mom steps in between the two of us, a forlorn expression on her face.

"Can't you see the needless pain this is causing? You can end his suffering, Clarke!" She moves to the side slightly, once again offering a view of the man in front of me. Bellamy rolls onto his side, his blood dripping onto the tile below him. My lip quivers as he shakes his head at me, ordering me not to give in. Ordering me to let his torture continue. I close my eyes and suck in a shaking breath before meeting my mom's expectant gaze.

"I can't." I glance at my friend, silently apologizing for what I've done. "I can't tell you the pass phrase." Abby's hands clench into fists, her anger radiating through the room in waves.

"Fine, have it your way." She pulls a knife out from the bag on the table, the six inch blade showing Bellamy's bloody reflection in the smooth metal. My mother kneels down in front of my companion, a disappointed look on her face. "I'm sorry that I have to do this Bellamy, you're a good person, but there's simply no other way." She quickly drags the tip of the knife across the underside of Bellamy's bicep, one of the most sensitive parts of the body; my mothers medical knowledge brings a dangerous skill set to the situation. It starts off as a shallow line but it quickly turns to a deep gouge as she applies more pressure the farther down his arm she goes. I can see my friend shaking at the immense pain, his jaw locked tight and he silently chokes on his desperate sobs. Abby glances over at me to see my reaction but immediately begins to move to his other arm when I clench my jaw in defiance. Just as the blade touches Bellamy's skin, the door to the throne room opens and Marcus comes walking in. He takes in the situation and shakes his head.

"What's going on here?" For a fleeting moment I think that Kane is here to rescue us, until I see him come stand next to my mother like an obedient dog.

"We need Clarke to tell us the pass phrase, this seems to be the only way to do it." Kane nods slowly before holding out his hand, his eyes hard as stone.

"Let me do it." I watch in horror as Marcus takes the knife from Abby before slowly moving towards Bellamy. My friend immediately tries to back away from him but the two guards grab him by the shoulders and hold him still while the older man stalks forward. My heart races in fear as Kane kneels down in front of Bellamy, his hand grabbing onto the collar of the boy's shirt, and glances back at me.

"Last chance Clarke." When he doesn't get a response, Marcus drags the blade down the front of my friend's shirt, tearing the fabric down the middle. He's quick to do the same to the jacket before ripping the material off of his body and tossing it aside, leaving Bellamy's entire upper body exposed. I can see beads of sweat dripping down his chest and across his ribs, where deep bruises are already starting to form from his earlier beating. Blood flows from the injuries on his face and upper body to mingle with the sweat and grime that now coats his skin and I fight the urge to turn away.

Before I get the chance to, Kane takes the knife and drags it across the flesh just below Bellamy's collar bone, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. The boy's face contorts in pain as he fights not to cry out and I watch as anger slowly starts to creep into Marcus' features.

"So, you think if you can keep from screaming that you'll keep Clarke from breaking, that you'll ease her pain?" A wicked grin covers his face and I almost gag. "We'll see about that." Without warning he jams the blade into my friend's thigh, jerking the knife out and smiling at the pain he sees. Bellamy starts to cry out but cuts himself short, panting heavily to keep his composure. Kane stares at him for a moment, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"You're stronger than I thought." Suddenly he takes his thumb and digs it into the wound, twisting the finger into the bloody flesh.

"Gah!" Bellamy can't contain the blood curdling scream that leaves his mouth as the older man presses deeper into the skin, a smile of satisfaction now adorning his bearded face. The boy nearly chokes back a sob as he writhes in agony under his vice like grip, his previously fearless demeanor fading with another excruciated scream.

"Bellamy!" I yell his name as Kane finally removes his hand from the wound, causing my friend to sag against the Grounders grip. "Please stop! Stop hurting him!" The man turns away from his task and glances at me, triumph clear in his gaze.

"Tell us the pass phrase and I'll stop, I won't touch him again." I close my eyes, fighting back the tears that are once again threatening to fall.

"Clarke, don't." Bellamy's breathless gasp fills my ears and I know I can't save him from this. Unfortunately Kane comes to the same realization and in an instant has the blade pressed against the skin of the boy's torso, slashing the delicate flesh in a deep thrust. A scream echoes through the room as he repeats the action again and again until there are five gashes criss crossed along his chest. Marcus turns to me, fury in his eyes.

"Is this what you want?! Do you want me to keep cutting him open?! Because that's exactly what I'll do if you don't tell me that pass phrase!" Tears stream down my face as I clench my jaw, knowing that I can't stop him. I've given up, all I can do is sit here and watch my friend being tortured. Kane notices my mood change and pauses, letting the bloodied knife fall to his side. Suddenly his face turns to steel and my heart stops.

"I don't have time for this." I watch in horror as he pulls a pistol out of his waistband and aims it at Bellamy's head. "Tell me the pass phrase or I'll put a bullet through Bellamy Blake's brain."

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_Well thats it for chapter one, i hope you enjoyed it. i will try to have chapter two up sometime tomorrow or the day after. _


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey guys! I literally couldn't put this story down, so I finished the second chapter. I also got caught up on season 6 last night and it's blowing my mind, if you haven't seen it yet I highly encourage it. Anyway, on to chapter two, I hope you enjoy it!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination. _

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Chapter Two

"Tell me the pass phrase or I'll put a bullet through Bellamy Blake's brain." My heart stops as Kane presses the barrel of the gun against Bellamy's skull, the boy's eyes widening in fear. His breathing quickens as our eyes meet and I know that the end is near, Marcus is going to kill him. It only takes a moment for my friend to regain his composure and he takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. Tears stream down my face as I pull violently against my bonds, desperately trying to reach him.

"Bellamy..." My cry comes out as a whisper and he looks up at me, raw emotion in his eyes.

"You can't tell them Clarke." His voice is low and hollow as if he's already accepted death, as if he's ready for it.

"That's enough out of you, Blake." Kane raises his hand and pistol whips him across the face, knocking him to the ground with a yell. The guards immediately jerk him back up onto his knees. There's a fresh gash across his temple and blood flows down the side of his face from the newest injury, leaving a trail down to his jawline and neck. Blood drips from my raw wrists and I sink back against the post I'm tied to, the crushing weight of defeat threatening to end me. I choke back a sob and shake my head in frustration.

"I'm so sorry Bellamy...I'm so sorry." He nods slowly, a look of sorrow on his face. The sound of the pistol being cocked draws my attention to Kane, who's finger is resting over the trigger.

"Kane, stop this please! You don't have to do this." He doesn't even look in my direction, instead pressing the gun harder into Bellamy's head and causing his to grunt in pain.

"The pass phrase." I start to sob as I realize that this really is the end, that this is how we lose. I return my gaze to Bellamy, who has his eyes closed. After a moment he opens them, water shimmering within his eyes and threatening to spill out.

"This isn't your fault Clarke." A single tear falls down his cheek. "You did what you had to do." He offers me a sad smile as he prepares for the inevitable. Kane growls in anger.

"You have three seconds to tell me what I want to know or he dies." I lock eyes with Bellamy, trying to say everything in that one look, but it will never be enough. Nothing I could ever say will be enough. "One." He winces at the word, unable to stop himself. "Two." Sobs wrack my body as I watch the hope drain from his gaze.

"I'm sorry." My whispered cry echoes like a scream through the quiet room as Marcus prepares to pull the trigger. Just as I'm anticipating the sound of the gunshot, the door to the throne room bursts open and Murphy comes charging in with Miller, Bryan, and Octavia at his side. The second he sees Bellamy, Murphy sprints towards Kane.

"No!" He tackles Marcus, but the deafening sound of a gunshot fills the air and I watch as the bullet embeds itself into Bellamy's stomach. He lets out a blood curdling scream of pain before falling to the floor.

"Bellamy!" My attention is so focused on my bleeding friend that I don't realize that Jaha has attacked Ontari, leaving her lifeless on the floor. Within moments the two Grounders are dead and Jaha, Kane, and my mother are unconscious with the others standing protectively in front of me. I struggle against the ropes holding me, screaming my friend's name over and over again.

"Easy, Clarke, we've got you." Suddenly there's hands around my wrist and it takes me a moment to realize that Murphy has untied me before I finally break out of my trance and rush to Bellamy's side with Octavia not far behind. I drop down next to him and immediately start trying to stop the bleeding. His breath comes out in ragged gasps and his eyes are wide in fear and pain, silently begging for me to help him. Octavia grabs his hand, trying to hold back tears.

"Bell? Bell can you hear me?" My friend turns his head to look at his sister, a weak smile on his face at the sight of her.

"O, you guys made it." Even the few words seem to be an effort for him and he coughs, wincing at the pain it causes, and groans. I stare at the bullet wound in his stomach and dread what I'm about to do. I have to see if there's an exit wound, otherwise the bullet will continue doing damage and kill him. My gaze shifts to Octavia and she glances at me with uncertainty.

"I have to make sure the bullet went all the way through. We have to turn him on his side." The girl nods slowly before motioning for one of the guys across the room.

"Murphy, we need your help over here!" In an instant the man is by my side, gripping Bellamy's shoulders and preparing to roll him over. I look at both my companions, taking a deep breath.

"On three." They both nod in understanding. "One..two..three!" The three of us push Bellamy onto his right side, wincing as he lets out a scream of pain. My eyes immediately search his back for signs of an exit wound and I sigh in relief when I see one near his lower back. I quickly grab a knife from the sheath on Murphy's leg and cut the ropes binding my friend's hands before grabbing the pieces of his discarded clothing and covering the wound. "Ok, roll him back over." They obey my command and Bellamy lies on the ground, groaning in pain, staring up at me with glassy eyes. My gaze drops to the hole in his abdomen and I turn to Octavia.

"Give me your jacket." She immediately shrugs off the garment and hands it to me without a word, her eyes never leaving her brother. I meet his gaze for a moment, taking a deep breath. "This is going to hurt." Without hesitation I press the jacket over his wound, hard, to help stop the bleeding.

My friend shouts in pain as the pressure is applied, his hands clutching at the ground below him. He writhes in agony as the material rubs against the tender skin of his stomach with every move he makes, his eyes nearly rolling back into his head from the immense pain. A strangled cry escapes his lips and Octavia grabs his hand, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"You're ok, Bell. You're gonna be ok, just hang on." She glances at me, wanting me to reassure her and let her know that she didn't just lie to her brother. I frown at her desperate expression and try my best to give her an encouraging nod, but my skills are limited and I know that I'm going to need some serious help if we're going to save him. Suddenly my thoughts turn to my mom, who's currently lying on the ground by the throne. Without hesitating I shift my gaze to Murphy.

"Do you have the EMP?" He nods slowly, his eyes constantly switching between me and the boy lying on the ground. "Good, I need you to use it on my mom." The confusion is clear in his eyes as he pulls back slightly.

"Wait what?" Murphy stares at me uncertainly for a moment. Bellamy groans in pain and I glance down at his quickly paling face, my worry and anxiety growing.

"She's the only one who can save him, I need her help. Hurry, Murphy, we don't have a lot of time!" Without another word, John sprints towards my mothers prone form and pulls the EMP out of his bag, immediately placing it against her neck. With a grunt he presses the button and my mom yelps in pain before relaxing in his grip. Within moments her eyes start to open and she blinks a few times, sluggishly looking around the room. Suddenly the realization of what she's done hits her and she jumps to her feet, her eyes flying around the space around her.

"Clarke?!" She pauses when she sees me sitting on the ground, tears already gathering in her eyes. It's only after she takes a step forward that she sees Bellamy. "Oh no." She breathes the words out in sorrow before staggering towards us, her hands covering her mouth in shock. "I'm so sorry..." I cut her off before she can break down, I don't have time for her to lose it right now. She's the only one who can help me save my friend.

"Mom get over here, he's bleeding out!" Finally she snaps out of her stupor and sprints to my side, dropping down next to me with only a regretful glance. Bellamy's eyes are squeezed shut in pain and he chokes back a cry when Abby starts to remove the jacket from his abdomen, the material already stained a deep crimson, to get a better look. Her eyes widen at his condition and she motions towards the door.

"Murphy, I need you to run down the hall into the room at the end of the hallway. My supplies are in there, grab the black bag off the ground and bring it back as fast as you can!" John immediately takes off out of the room in search of the bag and my mother turns back to the boy bleeding on the floor. Unfortunately, Bellamy's eyes had sprung open as soon as he heard her voice, fear clearly displayed in his gaze. As soon as he sees her he tries to scoot away.

"No, get away from me!" He tries to sit up and drag himself away from Abby, screaming in pain as the movement causes the wound to shift. My friend clutches his stomach with one hand and continues to scoot across the tile, his eyes wide with panic. A crimson trail of blood stains the floor as he desperately tries to escape.

"Bellamy, stop!" I rise from my kneeling position and rush over to him, trying to calm him. His eyes meet mine for a fleeting moment before he returns his gaze to Abby and he uses his other arm to gently push me behind him as if he's trying to protect me. When my mom tries to move closer, he shakes his head.

"Stay away from us!" He coughs violently and doubles over, clutching at his abdomen in pain, but somehow manages to keep glaring at my mother. I quickly move out from behind him and place my hand on his shoulder, trying to keep him from moving.

"Bellamy calm down, it's ok. She's trying to help." He shakes his head and motions weakly at the other woman.

"She tried to kill us!" I use my other hand to cup his cheek and force him to meet my eyes, giving him a small nod of reassurance.

"She was chipped. We used the EMP, she's on our side now. Please, just let her help you." He looks like he's about to argue, but he suddenly breaks into another coughing fit and I barely have enough time to catch him before he goes crashing to the ground. I gently lay him down and brush the hair out of his face, tears once again dripping down my cheeks. "Murphy, hurry!" We're running out of time. As if on cue, John comes sprinting through the door and drops to his knees, sliding across the floor to land in a heap next to us.

"I got it!" He breathlessly hands the bag to my mom and she dumps its contents on the floor, desperately searching through the mess. Finally her hands land on what she's looking for and she picks a white package off the ground before tearing it open.

"Remove the jacket." Octavia immediately obeys and pulls the fabric away from Bellamy's wound, exposing the torn flesh beneath it. My mom quickly pours the powder onto the wound, eliciting another yell from Bellamy. I gently place my hand on his cheek and rub my thumb back and forth in an effort to calm him down. He sighs quietly and leans into my touch, trying to take his mind off of the pain. The blood clotting agent that my mom had just put on the wound starts to take effect and I watch as the blood flow slowly begins to ease, sending a hint of relief rushing through me. My reprieve is short lived, however, as Pike sprints into the room with a panicked look on his face.

"They're climbing the walls!" The rooms occupants all look at him in fear as we're faced with yet another obstacle. I glance over at Jaha, Marcus, and Ontari; we have to shut the City of Light down if we're going to win this war. The flame weighs heavily in my pocket as my gaze lands on Bellamy, his eyes barely open. I have to stop ALIE or everything that has happened to him will have been for nothing, his pain will have been for nothing. With a determination that I didn't know I possessed, I turn towards my mother.

"I have to take the chip." She looks at me, eyes wide.

"What? Clarke that's insane!" I shake my head before she can continue, I have to do this before it's too late.

"Mom, put the flame in my head and I can stop ALIE before they finish climbing the walls. I can shut it down." Now it's Octavia's turn to voice her doubts.

"Clarke, the flame can only be used by Nightbloods. You saw what it did to Emerson..." My patience is fading as their questions continue and I put up a hand to silence them.

"If we circulate Ontari's blood through my body, like the mountain men did at Mount Weather, I can use the flame to get into the City of Light and stop ALIE." My mom places a hand on my arm.

"Clarke you can't, it's too dangerous." I look down at Bellamy. If the people under ALIE's influence get into this room, there's no way he's going to make it out alive. The only way to even give him a chance at survival is if I can shut down ALIE's programming before her companions get here. I let my eyes fall closed for a moment, dreading what's to come.

"What other choice do we have?" My mom stares at me for what feels like forever before nodding slowly, understanding and sorrow shining in her eyes. I offer her a small smile of encouragement as I prepare to stand, but a hand on my arm stops me. I glance over at its source to see Bellamy gripping my arm weakly, defiance in his eyes.

"Clarke..." His whispered plea goes unfinished as I slowly rub my thumb across his cheek again, only this time it's more to calm myself than him.

"Shhh, it's ok Bellamy...It's ok." He shakes his head warily before grabbing my hand with his, watching me with watering eyes.

"No, it's not." He chokes the words out with the little strength he has left. "Don't do this, Clarke, you're gonna get yourself killed." Bellamy squeezes my hand weakly, his eyes pleading with me to stay. "Please..." I smile down at him, unsure of whether or not it will be for the last time, and plant a soft kiss on his forehead. Before I have the chance to let him change my mind, I stand to my feet and make my way over to Ontari with Murphy in tow. He has several tubes and needles in his hands, no doubt given to him by my mom during my talk with Bellamy, and he gives me one last glance before making his way over to Jaha to retrieve the chip. When he returns I sit down on the throne and prepare myself for what comes next, handing him the flame as I do so. I nod at him to begin and John utters the code word before inserting the device into my neck. A sharp pain ignites in the area as the flame burrows into my skin and I gasp, gripping the arms of the chair tightly.

Murphy begins connecting the tubes to Ontari and I, careful to test them each time, and I let out a deep breath. With one last glance at my group of friends huddled on the ground, I nod and watch in both amazement and fear as the Nightblood flows through the tubes and into my veins. I quickly place the chip in my mouth before my better judgement can take hold and close my eyes, letting myself drift off into unconsciousness. When I open my eyes, I'm standing outside a tunnel with rain dripping down on me; the City of Light. I take a deep breath before taking off in the direction of the inner city; I have work to do.

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_Well that's it for chapter two! I hope you guys loved reading it as much as I loved writing it. I've already begun writing chapter three so I'm hoping to have that out either tonight or tomorrow, I'll just have to see how it goes. Thank you to everyone who's keeping up with this story and, if you're feeling like it, I would love if you would leave a review._


	3. Chapter 3

Hey again, so I've been keeping to my writing schedule and was able to finish the third chapter of this story! Regarding the end of chapter two, I decided not to go into detail about Clarke's actions in the City of Light because I feel like it would take away from the rest of the scenes in the story. This chapter picks up right after the events in the City of Light.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination.

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Chapter Three

My eyes flutter open as I slowly come to after pulling the lever in Becca's lab, my weary body refusing to move as efficiently as I'd hoped. I'd done it; the City of Light was destroyed, ALIE was defeated, and the world was safe for now. I let out a shaky breath as my eyes float over the throne room, taking in the carnage that had occurred while I was away. Several bodies litter the floor, all of which had been under the influence of the chip when they had been killed, luckily most of my companions are still breathing. My gaze lands on Charles Pike lying dead on the floor and I feel a hint of remorse for the man, but it's only for a fleeting moment as I remember what he's done. The people who had managed to stay alive until I shut down ALIE are now in crumbled heaps on the ground, their agonized screams echoing through the air as they realize what they've done. Kane is closest to me, clutching at his head as tears stream down his cheeks, and for a moment I don't even feel sorry for him after what he did to Bellamy.

Bellamy. My heart begins to race as I frantically search the room for any sign of the boy, my eyes quickly landing on the group huddled in the corner where I'd left them. Without hesitation I jump to my feet and sprint to where they're sitting, dropping onto my hands and knees in exhaustion when I get there. My mother, Bryan, and Miller are the only ones still protecting Bellamy because Murphy is now clinging to one of the girls that has just been released from ALIE's control and Octavia is nowhere to be found. The girl's absence automatically sets me on edge and I turn to my mom.

"Where's Octavia?" Abby crushes me with a hug before shaking her head.

"She killed Pike and ran." My shoulders sag slightly at the news and I sigh, why would she leave Bellamy when she knew that he was in trouble? My question is answered when my mom speaks again. "She said she knew you'd take care of him." I shift my gaze to Bellamy, who's eyes are currently closed. The bullet wound in his stomach has been held closed with a few makeshift sutures and most of the other cuts have been cleaned but his bare chest and face are still covered in blood and grime, making him look ten times worse. The shallow rise and fall of his chest is the only indication that he's still breathing and I look over at my mother.

"Is he..." I can't even bring myself to finish the sentence, honestly I don't even know what question to ask. Is he ok? Will he live? Was it worth it? There's so much I want to say but I shake my head, biting my lip to keep from sobbing.

"He's alive, Clarke, that's all that matters. I did the best I could with the limited supplies but you'll need to get him back to Arkadia if he's going to have a chance at survival. I'm trying to find a way to get the two of you out of the city before the chaos starts." I look at her in confusion for a moment before shaking my head.

"What about you?"

"I'm going to stay here until everything calms down, getting the two of you out of here is going to be risky as it is." I open my mouth to object, but she silences me. "This isn't up for negotiation." Without another word she stands to her feet and walks across the room to talk to Murphy, who has finally released his hold on the dark haired girl. I watch them for a minute, wondering what we're going to do, until someone's hand is suddenly resting on my knee. I turn to see Bellamy's dark brown eyes staring at me, a weak smile gracing his lips.

"You made it." His words come out in a whisper and it looks like it was an effort to even utter them. The sight of him brings tears to my eyes and I bite my lip as I feel them threatening to fall. I bring one of my hands to rest on his cheek, careful not to touch the deep gash on his temple or any other injuries, and take in his beaten features. My heart breaks as guilt overcomes me, knowing that I could've saved him from all this pain and suffering. Tears stream down my face as I bow my head in hopes of hiding my vulnerability.

"I'm so sorry, Bellamy." I run my hand through his hair softly, trying to ease his pain in some way. "This is all my fault, if I had just..." I hastily wipe my tears away with my other hand, but it's no use because more simply replace them. I ramble on for a moment with empty apologies and meaningless promises when suddenly he takes my tear-stained hand in his and grips it tightly.

"It's ok, Princess." He offers me a small, reassuring smile. "You did what you had to do."

"Stop saying that!" A sob escapes me as I run my hand through his curly black hair and shake my head. "I'm tired of doing what I have to! I can't keep doing this to everyone, to you. Nothing good has come from it." My friend grips my hand tighter as a single tear drips down his cheek.

"Don't blame yourself."One look into his pain filled eyes and I break down, sobbing as I squeeze his hand like it's the only thing keeping him alive. I slowly pull him into my lap, careful not to aggravate his injuries, and hug him tight to my chest as sobs wrack my body. He lets out a sigh as I rub soothing circles on his shoulder in a desperate attempt to calm both of our nerves.

"You're gonna be ok." I whisper in his ear. "I'm gonna take care of you." He chuckles weakly and looks up at me, his eyes betraying his false hope at my words.

"You always do." The whispered phrase sends another round of sobs coursing through me. My gaze travels down to his battered face and I see his eyes starting to flutter closed. Panic seizes me and I shake him slightly, eliciting a weak groan.

"Don't you give up on me, not now!" He struggles to open his eyes, as if the very action takes all of his remaining strength, and frowns.

"I'm so tired, Clarke." His grip on my hand begins to slacken and I can feel the energy draining out of him with each passing second, causing fear to settle over me. My fingers intertwine with his and I squeeze it tightly, hoping that it will somehow pass some of my strength on to him through the touch alone.

"You have to stay awake, Bellamy. You hear that? Stay with me!" My heart drops into my stomach as my friend offers me a sad smile, his brown eyes slowly falling closed as the grin fades away.

"Sorry, Princess." His eyes shut at the final words and my stomach clenches into a knot as desperation fills me.

"Bellamy?! Bellamy, wake up!" My hand moves to his throat, quickly searching for a pulse with my fingers. A shaky sigh escapes me as I feel his weak heartbeat beneath my fingertips, thankfully indicating that he is still fighting.

"He's alive." The words are past my lips before I even realize that I'm talking to myself and I glance around the room, the reality of the situation sinking in. Finally my eyes land on my mother and a desperate cry flies from my mouth.

"Mom!" Upon hearing my shout, Abby sprints to my side and drops down next to me, her gaze immediately falling to the dark haired boy resting in my lap. Her hands instantly reach towards his neck to check for a pulse, unfortunately getting the same result as me, and she shakes her head with worry.

"We have to get him to Arkadia, now." Suddenly Murphy appears, the girl he was with standing awkwardly by his side. My resentment towards the individual subsides for now as he motions towards my injured friend.

"We can use the tunnel in the Flamekeeper's quarters, it leads outside the city walls and we'd be able to avoid detection from anyone in the city." His gaze shifts to Bellamy, a mixture of emotions sweeping through his normally arrogant face. "I can take you to it." I offer him a curt nod, not even bothering to ask him why he's suddenly acting like he cares, and turn my eyes to the boy in my lap. Bellamy's face is deathly pale from blood loss and his breathing is labored. A thin sheen of sweat covers his bare chest, making his skin cold and clammy to the touch. I brush his hair away from his face with my hand and gently comb my fingers through it, he's running out of time. I speak to Murphy without even looking at him.

"There's no way he's going to be able to walk out of here, we'll need some type of stretcher to get him to the tunnel." John nods quickly and exits the room in search of something that we could use. The girl he was with tentatively sits down across from me, her eyes roaming over my friend's unconscious form with regret.

"I'm sorry." Her words catch me off guard for a moment and I reluctantly move my gaze to the girl, tears shimmering in her dark eyes. She holds so much guilt for something she didn't even do, there's no telling how awful she feels about the atrocities she must've committed under ALIE's control. A sigh escapes me as I shake my head.

"Look..." I frown when I realize I don't even know her name and I pause, searching her face.

"Emori." The girl seems to read my thoughts and offers me an encouraging smile, though the grin doesn't reach her eyes. I nod gratefully before continuing.

"Emori, this isn't your fault. You had nothing to do with what happened to him, you can't blame yourself for the actions of someone else." She looks like she's about to argue, but then Murphy arrives dragging what appears to be a piece of broken furniture.

"This is all I could find." He sets the wooden plank down next to Bellamy and it's just large enough to hold him, with about two inches to spare at the bottom. Reluctantly I remove him from my lap and kneel down next to him, John doing the same on the other side. His eyes meet mine for a second before he carefully grabs onto my friend's legs, motioning for me to do the same with his shoulders. I get into position and look up, waiting for the right moment.

"On three." I nod before tightening my grip on Bellamy's arms. "One..two..three!" Emori holds the board still while Murphy and I lift him off of the ground and set him down on top of it, eliciting a pained groan from the boy. I gently place my hand on his shoulder and whisper.

"It's ok, Bellamy. We're going to get you out of here." The material that Murphy found looks like it used to be part of a head board so the designs around the edges almost act as handles for us to hold on to, making it much easier to carry. I glance at John as I grab the top and start to raise it up, he mimics my actions. My eyes wander to the door and I motion towards it with my head. "Lead the way." Without a pause, Murphy heads toward the exit with Emori taking a place beside the makeshift stretcher to make sure that Bellamy doesn't fall during the trip. We walk slowly down the hallway, making sure that no one else has made their way into the tower during the earlier battle, and begin our trek towards the Flamekeeper's room. The corridor is eerily quiet except for the soft thud of our footsteps, until a low growl to my right breaks the silence. My eyes widen as I glance in that direction, hoping that my mind had just been playing tricks on me.

I gasp as a Grounder emerges from the shadows, a jagged knife gripped tightly in his bloody hand.

"Skaikru." He spits the word out with such venom that the three of us flinch simultaneously, fear creeping into our hearts as he moves closer. Murphy is the first to speak up.

"Look, we don't want any trouble..." He's cut off when the Grounder snarls in anger.

"You're the ones who brought evil into this city!" The man's deep voice echoes through the hall, reverberating off the walls loudly. "Your technology destroyed everything, and now you have to pay!" Without warning, he lunges forward and swings the blade in an arch with an animalistic cry of rage. My eyes widen as he moves towards me and I gasp as I duck out of the way, accidentally letting go of the board in the process. The stretcher crashes to the ground with a loud crack, sending Bellamy skidding across the floor right at the angry Grounder. When his eyes land on the injured boy, a malicious smile creeps onto his face as he raises the knife for a killing blow.

"No!" I leap forward to try to stop him, but I know there's no way I'll make it in time. Just as the blade is about to plunge into Bellamy's exposed chest, a shot rings through the air and I watch as the Grounder clutches at his chest in agony before falling to his knees, blood pouring from the bullet wound that's suddenly appeared. I glance down the hallway to see Kane, gun in hand, sprinting towards us. Without a word he helps load Bellamy back onto the board and offers the pistol to me, his hands shaking. I almost suggest that he comes with us, but the look on his face tells me that he wouldn't no matter how hard I tried to convince him. I take the gun from him and he places a hand on my shoulder, his eyes never landing on the boy on the ground.

"Get him back to Arkadia." I nod in understanding and he stands to his feet, offering us one last glance as he takes off down the hallway. My gaze travels to the gun in my hand and I know that I can't carry Bellamy and shoot at the same time so I turn to Murphy.

"Do you trust her?" I motion towards Emori and he glances at her before nodding slowly. Without hesitation I place the pistol in the girl's hand, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Shoot anything that tries to stop us, got it?" She pauses only for a moment before nodding and I take a deep breath before gesturing for John to help me with the stretcher. The two of us once again haul the board up off the ground, grunting with effort, and continue on our way.

The journey to the Flamekeeper's quarters was a difficult one, resulting in all three of us being thoroughly exhausted by the time we arrived. We'd covered Bellamy with a sheet in order to disguise him as one of the dead and thrown on cloaks that we'd found for Murphy and I to try and avoid unwanted attention, which is why we'd been able to even make it to the room without being attacked by angry Grounders. Sweat drips down my forehead as I help push open the heavy wooden door and I blink the salty liquid out of my eyes in hopes that it will relieve the stinging sensation that has settled on them. We set the board down on the ground for a moment in order to catch our breath and I shrug the heavy cloak off of my shoulders before kneeling down beside my friend. I slowly peel the sheet back off of his sweat soaked skin and sigh when I realize that his condition is starting to get worse.

His chest barely moves as he breathes in and out, the sound of his breathing coming out more like a gasp than the usual rhythmic sigh, and his pale face is constantly contorted with pain. I place my hand on his cheek for a moment before standing back to my feet.

"We have to hurry, he's running out of time." John returns to his spot by the stretcher and we pick him back up.

"Then we'd better get moving." He motions towards the back of the room. "This way." Emori walks next to Murphy as we make our way across the space and quickly grabs hold of a hatch hidden against the wall. With a grunt she pulls it open and steps to the side to make room for the rest of us, taking a defensive position by the door while we get Bellamy into the tunnel. The opening is just big enough for Murphy and I to fit through while still holding the other boy and I call for Emori to join us once we're inside. She quietly closes the hatch as she enters and we slowly begin to make our way through the dim tunnel, careful to watch our footing to keep from slipping on the slick floor. John trips and the board shakes slightly, causing Bellamy to groan in pain.

"It's ok, Bellamy. Just hold on." Fear settles into my heart as I worry that he might not be able to hold on, that he might not even be alive when we get back to Arkadia, but I shake the thought from my head. He's going to make it, he has to.

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Well that's it for chapter three! As usual, I hope everyone loved it and is happy with how the story is going so far. I'll try to have the next chapter out soon and any reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, so I had a super busy day today otherwise this would've been up sooner but better late than never. So without further ado, on to chapter four.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination

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Chapter Four

My shoulders ache as we trudge through the forest on our way to Arkadia, the uneven terrain making it difficult to keep our footing as we try to avoid hazardous tree roots and steep drop offs. My shirt clings to my skin as the humid air wraps around my body like a blanket, causing sweat to drip down my back and onto my arms. Red blisters have started to form on my fingertips from the constant friction between my skin and the makeshift stretcher, making it even harder to keep a decent grip. Sensing my discomfort, Emori taps my shoulder and we switch places so that I get a break from carrying Bellamy, something the three of us have begun to do periodically as exhaustion sets in.

Murphy's shoulders are tense as he picks his way around an overgrown tree root and I can see small droplets of blood dripping down his fingers due to the rough surface of the board. I grip the pistol loosely in my hands as my gaze shifts to the boy on the stretcher, anxiety creeping its way into my body. He's still extremely pale and his breathing is labored, but he's become unresponsive and he started to shiver about half an hour ago. I had taken off my jacket and placed it over his upper body, but it has been little more than a reassurance to the three of us that we're at least trying to keep him warm. I'm concerned every time we hit an uneven patch of ground or when somebody trips and Bellamy doesn't make a sound, not even a gasp as the movement jostles his battered body.

My eyes move back to Murphy, who's panting with exertion as he carries the front end on the stretcher, and I can't help but frown. Murphy is a murderer, he's outwardly voiced his problems with Bellamy multiple times, so why does he care whether he lives or dies? How can the guy who only a short time ago tried to hang Bellamy, go through all this trouble to try and save him? The question enters my brain and won't leave me alone, prompting me to ask even if it's only to satisfy my curiosity. I cautiously make my way over to John, careful to keep my voice down to keep Emori from hearing our conversation. It's not that I distrust her, I'm not completely comfortable around her yet for sure, but I just don't want to scare her off by bringing up Murphy's past. We need her if we're going to get my friend back to Arkadia in time. Once I'm sure that I won't be heard, I shift my position so I'm slightly facing John.

"Why are you helping us?" The words come out a little harsher than I intended and Murphy offers me a sideways glance, confusion in his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" I let out a quiet sigh before continuing.

"Why are you helping me get Bellamy back to Arkadia? I thought you hated him." Anger flashes in his eyes for a moment at my words and I look at him warily.

"You think just because I don't particularly like him, I'd let him die? You think I'm that heartless?" His voice has risen slightly and I clench my jaw and glance at Emori, but luckily the girl seems to be either oblivious to the situation or ignoring us and right now I'll accept either scenario. My hands draw into fists at his outburst and I glare, trying to keep my temper in check.

"You did try to kill him, so forgive me if I don't see you as the good samaritan type." I spit the words out quietly, hate starting to creep into my tone when I think about his actions when we still lived in the dropship. My mind whirls through the atrocities he'd committed; trying to kill Charolette, suffocating Connor and Myles, shooting Raven, hanging Bellamy. I can't find it in myself to accept the fact that he'd simply changed his ways and was trying to do better, he's caused too much pain and destruction for me to buy into his lie. There has to be some kind of angle, some way that helping Bellamy benefits him also.

"What do you hope to gain from saving his life?" Murphy rolls his eyes like he's going to dismiss the question, but eventually he glances at me with a serious expression of his face.

"Look, Clarke, I kind of enjoy living on earth and you're the only one who can apparently keep it from falling apart every other day." He motions to the boy on the stretcher. "And if you're going to keep stopping all these world ending disasters that seem to follow us around, you're going to need him to do it." The confession catches me off guard and I stutter step before speeding up to remain by his side, trying to figure out how to respond. I don't get the chance as John continues. "So honestly, keeping him alive also saves my ass." I can't suppress the small chuckle that escapes me at his words, there's the Murphy I know.

Suddenly his foot gets caught on a root and he stumbles, wincing when the movement puts extra strain on his shoulders and hands. I watch as he struggles to regain his balance for a minute before putting my hand on his arm, motioning for him to trade places with me. He shakes his head, readjusting his grip on the board.

"I'm fine." I ignore his annoyed look and roll my eyes before gesturing for him to move, he may be a total pain in the ass but I can't risk him collapsing before we get back to Arkadia.

"Murphy, we still have over a mile to get to camp, there's no way you're going to be able to keep going for that long. Quit with the macho crap and switch with me." After a heated glare and a few seconds of hesitation, he finally relents and allows me to take his place carrying Bellamy while I hand him the pistol to defend us against any new threats that might appear. The splintered wood digs painfully into the blisters on my hands but I ignore it, willing myself to trudge on in order to get my friend to safety. One look at his pale face has me quickening my pace, we have to get him back to camp.

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It takes us over another hour to get to Arkadia, the metal gate reaching up into the sky like a beacon when we break through the tree line and enter into the clearing. The late afternoon sun shines through the sparse clouds and casts an orange glow over the clearing, making the giant mass of metal known as the Ark look like Heaven on earth to our tired eyes. I let out an exhausted sigh as my gaze roams over the remains of the spaceship that had been turned into our home, relief flooding me at the sight of it.

"We made it." A shuddering breath from Bellamy quickly reminds me that we're not out of the woods yet. We might've made it back to camp, but we still have to save his life. Our trio sets off down the narrow dirt path that leads to the entrance with John and I carrying Bellamy while Emori clutches the pistol tightly in her hands, scanning the forest behind us for any danger.

Relief floods me as I take my first step through the gate, a sense of ease settling over me at the familiarity of the area, and I start to search for any sign of my friends. I don't have to wait long as Monty walks through the exit of the garage, an empty water bucket in his hands.

"Monty!" The second my voice pierces the air, he immediately spins in our direction and his eyes widen in surprise. The farm stationer takes off at a dead sprint towards us, dropping the bucket as he does so, and throws his arms into the air with a yell.

"They're back! Guys, they made it!" No sooner had the words come out of his mouth than Raven, Harper, and Jasper appear from the shadows of the garage. The two girls follow Monty's lead and run straight towards us, while Jasper hangs back uncertainly by the door. Monty is the first to reach us and his smile vanishes when his eyes land on Bellamy, the joy that previously radiated from him lessening at the sight of the injured boy. He moves to stand next to the stretcher, his eyes roaming over the multitude of wounds that cover his body and he recoils slightly when he notices my other two companions. Obviously he's still uncomfortable around Murphy as well, not to mention the fact that Emori is a complete stranger to him, which usually isn't a welcome sight because of everything that's happened. Nevertheless, Monty turns to me.

"What happened?" I shake my head, motioning towards the Medbay.

"I'll explain later, right now we need to get him to medical." Monty nods and sprints towards the building in order to get it ready to treat Bellamy, the others quickly following suit while Murphy and I continue to carry the stretcher with Emori trailing behind us. Jasper has slowly made his way out of the garage and is heading towards us tentatively as if he's afraid we won't want him there, which strikes me as odd, but finding out why he's acting so strange will have to wait. The second we enter medical, I get Murphy and Emori to put Bellamy on one of the tables while I pour some alcohol on my hands to sterilize them. Monty, Harper, and Jasper are all standing off to the side watching as their friend is fighting for his life. Raven approaches me from her spot across the room, a determined look on her face.

"What can I do to help?" I pause for a moment, my eyes flicking to the boy on the table, before taking a deep breath.

"He's needs blood, a lot of it." She nods slowly in understanding.

"Ok. What's his blood type?" I run a hand through my hair and let out a shaking breath, trying to think. Suddenly I remember a conversation I had with my mother and I turn to her.

"Everyone on the Ark had a blood type of O Negative, my mom said we'd somehow been genetically engineered that way after we'd gone into space. I'm going to need you and one of the others to donate about a pint of blood or else I'm not going to be able to save him." Raven spins around to face the group and lets a small smile come to her face, no doubt because she's grateful that she's able to help.

"Hey, Monty, you afraid of needles?" The boy gives her a concerned look before shaking his head slowly, a hint of fear creeping into his face at her sudden question. The girl nods enthusiastically. "Good, because Bellamy needs our blood." Monty gives me one last glance before moving to sit on one of the tables, motioning for Raven to do the same. My friend looks at me. "Alright, so how do we do this?" I quickly explain to Murphy how to get the two of them set up while I start tending to some of Bellamy's wounds, praying that I'm not too late.

Two needles, a few tubes, and a good deal of complaining later I've got two pints of blood to use on Bellamy as I get ready to remove the bandage from his stomach. The room is full of nervous energy and I find it hard to concentrate with all of their eyes boring into my back as I work, their anxiety spreading like wildfire. Finally I take a deep breath and motion toward the door.

"I need everybody but Murphy to leave, I can't focus with everyone in here." All of them are reluctant to go at first but, after a few glares and choice words, they exit the room. John walks up next to me with a confused expression on his face.

"Why did you ask me to stay?" I roll my eyes, my patience fading, as I remove the bandage from Bellamy's abdomen.

"Because I'm going to need help and you're the only one who's hands weren't shaking from either donating blood or anxiety." Apparently my words satisfy his curiosity and he moves to the other side of the table to be across from me, his eyes falling to the wound that I've just uncovered. The skin around the bullet hold has become an angry red and yellow streaks have started to branch out from it, indicating that infection is starting to set in. I immediately turn to Murphy.

"I need antibiotics. Go to the cabinet by the door, look for a vial labeled cephamandole. It's an antibiotic used to treat wound infections." John sprints over to the cabinet as I quickly remove the makeshift sutures that my mom had used and grab the alcohol off the table next to me, carefully pouring it over the wound in order to clean the area. Luckily the infection hasn't had enough time to become very severe so the alcohol should be enough to cleanse the infected tissue when I give him the antibiotics from Murphy. As soon as I've finished with the alcohol, Murphy hollers from the other side of the room.

"Got it!" My companion rushes over to my side and hands me the vial. I immediately grab a syringe and fill it with the liquid, quickly injecting it into a vein in Bellamy's arm. Next I motion for John to bring the bags of blood over and I begin to hook the first one up to a line I've inserted into my friend's other arm, starting the transfusion as soon as I've got it settled. I watch as blood flows through the tube into Bellamy's vein, replenishing the amount that he'd lost due to his numerous injuries. Once that's done I return to the gun shot wound and grab a sterilized needle from the counter, threading it as I do so. I carefully position the tip near the end of the opening and push it through the torn layer of skin, doing the same on the other side until I have the first stitch done. I continue the action until I've successfully closed the wound and I cut the thread with a pair of scissors before repeating the process on the exit wound in his back.

I let out a sigh and raise a hand to my forehead, grateful to be finished with the life-threatening injuries, and allow myself a moment of reprieve from the madness that surrounds me. I know that I can only spare a few seconds so I quickly get back to work cleaning and stitching the other gashes across his chest, thigh, and arm, covering each one with a clean bandage after. My gaze travels up to his blood-covered face and I grab a damp cloth from the counter, gently starting to wipe the grime away from his features. My hand brushes against his cheek and a tear slips down my cheek before I have a chance to wipe it away, leaving a clean line through the dirt that covers my face. This is all my fault. I slowly rub my thumb across his cheek and let my eyes close for a moment, trying to control the emotions that threaten to drown me. Suddenly it feels like the room just got ten times smaller and it's hard to breathe, my chest constricting painfully with each inhale. I take a step back from the table, my eyes never leaving Bellamy, and whisper.

"I've done all I can." Before he has a chance to stop me, I rush out of the room, leaving Murphy alone in the Medbay. As soon as I exit the room I'm met by five expectant faces, their eyes full of questions when they see me. "He's alive." The words tumble out of my mouth before I can even process the news myself, choosing to leave the fact that he's barely alive out of the sentence. Emori immediately slips past me to be with John, who has just left medical, his inquisitive eyes boring into me as I quickly weave my way through the group around the door. I ignore their confused faces at my sudden departure, needing to be away from it all, needing to be alone. My feet lead me down the hallway, following their own path as my mind struggles to comprehend the events of the past days. Of course my thoughts roam to Bellamy, the person who I told myself I couldn't lose. There's nothing else I can do for him, the agonizing waiting game has begun and only time will tell if I made it there in time to save him.

My thoughts slow to a halt as I look up to where my feet have led me, the plain door seeming to stare into my soul as I stand in front of it. It's Bellamy's room.

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Well that's it for chapter four, I hope you enjoyed it! I hope to stick to this writing schedule and have the next chapter up by tomorrow. Anywayyyyy, thanks for reading and any reviews are greatly appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

My thoughts slow to a halt as I look up to where my feet have led me, the plain door seeming to stare into my soul as I stand in front of it. It's Bellamy's room. I uncertainly put my hand on the doorknob, every fiber in my being screaming at me to turn it, and I slowly push the door open. I take one step into the room and I'm greeted by the faint smell of a mixture of gunpowder and timber that can only be described as Bellamy Blake. The gray walls match my somber mood as I trudge into the space, taking in the room of the boy lying on an operating table. The room of my friend that nearly lost his life because of me, that might still die because of me. Grief consumes me like a fire and I crash to my knees, wrapping my arms around my stomach as sobs wrack my body. Images flash through my mind as I sit on the floor; the Grounders beating Bellamy into a bloody pulp, Marcus' sadistic smile as he tore the blade through my friend's flesh, the gun being pressed to his head, blood blossoming across the boy's stomach as the gun went off, the faint smile on Bellamy's face when he was fading away.

They replay on a loop in my mind, my heart breaking with each round of the horror show running through my head. I hastily run my hands through my disheveled hair, crying out in anguish as I think about the boy lying on the table in medical. My soul aches as I see his usually charming smile fading away into an emotionless mask as the life slowly drains from his body, the charismatic shine in his eyes slowly morphing into a dull stare. I reach to wipe away the tears that are steadily streaming down my face only to pause when I see the blood that covers them, the sight making my stomach churn. Dried patches peel off my skin as I clench my hands, the flakes fluttering to the floor to spread my loss across the ground. Some of it still hasn't dried, the memory of its rightful owner still too fresh, and it drips onto my clothing to stain the material a dull red. My breathing quickens as I realize that none of it is mine, it's Bellamy's.

I choke on a sob as the image of his lifeless body once again sears itself into my brain, promising to haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life. I dig my fingers into the rough carpet as nausea settles over me and I swallow hard to try to keep it at bay, but it's no use. I feel sick to my stomach and quickly haul myself to my feet unsteadily and stumble into the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before I empty the meager contents of my stomach into the bowl. I dry heave for a few minutes before I'm finally well enough to sit up, unfortunately the sudden exertion causes me to feel lightheaded and I have to sit on the floor to keep from passing out on the tile. My head spins as I press my back against the wall, the cool surface soothing my clammy skin, and take a few deep breaths to get myself back under control.

It takes several minutes of me sitting there before I finally have the strength to stand to my feet, a cough escaping me as the motion takes more effort than it should. Carefully I make my way over to the metal sink and lean, shaking, against it for support. The metal is cool to the touch and I sigh as the feeling settles into my skin, slightly calming my frayed nerves. My anxiety returns with a vengeance when I glance down at my hands, still covered in my friend's blood. My fingers instantly reach for the knob and soon scalding hot water flows over my trembling hands and I watch as the liquid turns a deep red, the blood making swirling patterns in the sink until it's washed down the drain. I try desperately to wash the blood of my friend from my skin, but it continues to drip from my hands. The red substance flows down my arms, covering my body like a cancer, and I growl in frustration as it clings to my skin. I pick at the area underneath my fingernails in an attempt to make sure that not even a speck of the offending liquid is left on my body, the tender flesh quickly becoming sore from my actions. I can't get it off, Bellamy's blood stains my skin even after it's been washed away and I can feel tears stinging my eyes as I continue to run my hands under the hot water.

Eventually the flesh on my arms has been rubbed raw from the vigorous scrubbing in my effort to cleanse it, and I pull my hands away from the sink in exasperation and turn the water off. I take a deep breath and slowly look into the mirror, the face that greets me sending shivers down my spine. My usual clean cut appearance has faded away into an exhausted mess of blonde hair and grime, making me look more like a Grounder than Skaikru. Dark circles have settled under my eyes, not that you can see them under all the dirt, and there's fresh tear tracks running down my face from my earlier break down. I no longer see Wanheda, Commander of Death, or even the confident Clarke Griffin that the 100 and many others have come to rely on. All I see is the reflection of a scared little girl who has lost everything; her father, her friends, her humanity. Now one of the last people she can't afford to lose is fighting for his life, and his death would be the end of her.

I shake my head at the face in the mirror. The scared little girl that I haven't seen since my days on the Ark is staring back at me, ready to crumble under the weight of her heartbreak. My shoulders slump as the immense gravity of my situation settles on top of me like a ton of bricks, slowly getting heavier and heavier until I can't hold myself up any longer. My knees buckle and I lean against the wall for support, trying desperately to keep from coming apart at the seams.

Suddenly there's a knock at the bathroom door and I immediately stand up straighter, trying to hide any evidence of my break down. I smooth my hair down in an attempt to try to calm the unruly mane just as Raven's head appears around the corner, her features shrouded with concern when she sees my appearance.

"Clarke?" I offer a fake smile as she steps into the room, her usually upbeat personality replaced by a sorrow filled gaze.

"Hey, Raven." The words come out much weaker than I'd hoped and I offer a small wave in hopes that it would draw attention away from my failed attempt at tranquility. Unfortunately her eyes immediately travel to my hands, which are still an angry red from scrubbing them with such hot water. I watch as she gives me a once over, no doubt noticing the tears stains on my cheeks and bloodshot eyes. Every nerve in my body wishes she would just accept my false representation of my attitude and walk away, but Raven never has been one to give up easily.

"Are you alright?" I want to lie and tell her I'm fine, to put on a fake smile and pretend that one of my best friends isn't dying on a hospital bed in the other room, to act like none of this ever happened. But I can't. I can't pretend that Bellamy is awake and smiling and being his usual outgoing self, not when I just spent the last few hours stitching up bullet wounds and giving him blood transfusions. One look into Raven's worry filled eyes and I'm breaking down, every emotion that I've been trying to keep hidden spilling out like a waterfall.

"No." The word comes out as a broken whisper and I let out a heart wrenching sob, my knees giving out as my grief seems to steal all of my strength away from me. My friend barely has enough time to catch me before both of us sink to our knees on the ground, her arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace. A new onslaught of sobs wrack my body as tears stream down my face, dripping onto the other girl's shirt and turning the material a darker shade. She pulls my trembling body closer, gently running her hand up and down my arm as I cry into her shoulder. My mind is filled with thoughts of Bellamy, the boy I used to hate who became closer to me than anyone else, who treated me like family even after I let him down again and again. Even when I'd given up on myself and called myself a monster, he was always there. He offered me forgiveness when I couldn't forgive myself, and picked me up off the ground when I thought I would never get back up again. Bellamy Blake is the person I can always trust with anything no matter how terrible or painful it may be. Now he's dying, and it's all my fault.

Raven hushes me quietly, trying to soothe my aching heart.

"He's going to be ok, Clarke. Just give him some time." I shake my head against her shirt, doubt creeping into my mind.

"He's dying, Raven." The girl flinches at my words, the sentence obviously catching her off guard. After a moment of tense silence, she speaks up.

"Bellamy's strong, he'll pull through." Her voice lacks its usual confidence and it does little to instill the hope that it was meant to, sending a fresh wave of doubt through my veins.

"You didn't see him." My words come out as barely more than a whisper as another sob tears through me. "You didn't see him." Raven grips my shoulders tightly as if she's fighting to keep her own emotions in check, the stress of the past few hours must be taking its toll on her. She takes a moment to compose herself before letting out a tired sigh.

"You're right, I didn't see him when it happened, but I know Bellamy. He's a fighter and he'll keep fighting for all he's worth, especially when what he's fighting for involves you." I stare at the ground for a moment, confused by her words, but I never get the chance to respond as she continues. "He's going to be ok, Clarke. I promise." She slowly pulls away from me, watching as my sobs subside until there's only the occasional sniffle. My friend places her hand on my shoulder, a small smile of reassurance on her face.

"Go see him." I shake my head, guilt tugging at my heart.

"I'm the reason that he's hurt, I doubt I'm the one he'll want to see when he wakes up." If he wakes up, I correct myself in my head. Raven sighs.

"What happened to Bellamy was NOT your fault, Clarke. If you had given ALIE the pass phrase, there would've been no stopping her." Evidently Murphy had filled the others in on what happened during our time at the capital. I'm secretly grateful, I don't think I would've been able to relive what went down ever again. "And Bellamy knows that, hell, he'll probably be proud of you for being able to resist ALIE. Trust me, Clarke, you'll be the first person he'll want to see when he wakes up." Raven slowly stands to her feet, bringing me up with her, and motions towards the door.

"Now go, we can't have the delinquent waking up in medical by himself, imagine all the trouble he'd get into if there was no one there to supervise him." Her joke falls short as the humor never reaches her eyes, but the attempt itself is enough to lift my spirits enough for me to nod.

"You're right." I take a deep breath before slowly making my way towards the hallway, the smallest sense of ease settling over me. Just as I reach the door, I turn back to face my friend. "Thank you, Raven."

"Anytime." The girl nods quickly and I swear I see a tear drip down her cheek, but she urges me forward. "I'll be fine." She reads my thoughts and I offer her the first genuine smile I've given in days, silently thanking her for everything she's done.

"I know." With that I walk out into the corridor and begin retracing my steps back towards the Medbay, the quiet thud of my footfalls the only noise in the quiet space. It's not long before I'm standing behind the clear tarp that separates my current location from that of Bellamy's, the nearly invisible material serving as the only barrier between us. Suddenly it feels like there's a brick wall in front of me, blocking my path to the boy on the examination table. What if Raven had been wrong? What if Bellamy hated me for letting him suffer to keep ALIE from getting the pass phrase? I shake my head in frustration as the endless supply "what ifs" start to pile up in my mind, I have to stop doubting myself. It's now or never.

With a determined sigh I push past the tarp and walk into the room, my eyes immediately landing on the source of all my heartache. Bellamy lies on one of the black beds, his body already turning into a roadmap of bumps and bruises. I quickly make my way towards him and pull a chair from the corner of the room, placing it next to his cot. I slowly take in his appearance. Some of the color has returned to his face and he's stopped shivering, but that does little to comfort me as I take in the rest of his injuries. His ribs have already turned a deep purple from the abuse that the Grounders had inflicted, anything that hasn't been covered with bandages stands out in stark contrast to the crisp white material. There's barely any skin on his chest that's visible because of the multitude of bandages that cover the stitches that I'd put in earlier, and there's another bulge beneath his shorts on his right leg where another layer of gauze is wrapped around the knife wound there.

He looks broken, his battered body a testament to what he went through, and I can't help but feel guilty for the part I played in his suffering. I know that he'll never blame me for any of it, he'll dismiss it as being a necessity, but that doesn't mean I won't blame myself. Nevertheless, I grab the chair and pull it closer to the edge of the bed, sitting down on the uncomfortable plastic when I have it positioned where I want it. I sit there a moment before reaching out and grabbing his hand, the small amount of warmth it brings comforts me. I let out a sigh as I settle down into the chair, preparing for a long night of waiting. I'll wait here as long as it takes because I know, if the situation were reversed, he'd do the same for me.

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Well thats it for chapter five, i hope you guys loved it. as usual, reviews are greatly appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey guys! So I got this update done pretty quickly despite a little bit of writer's block. Anyways, on to chapter six._

_Disclaimer: i own nothing but my imagination._

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Chapter Six

My eyes flutter open as I wake from another fitful sleep, the constant nightmares that plague me preventing me from actually getting any type of rest. A sigh escapes me as I shift positions in the uncomfortable plastic chair I'd fallen asleep in, my gaze sluggishly moving to the boy on the bed. I sit up and reach forward with one hand to gently run my fingers through his curly hair, careful not to pull the bandages off my palms. Raven had come in the other day and forced me to tend to the blisters and cuts on my hands that came from carrying Bellamy across the woods on that makeshift stretcher. I'd originally blown her off, saying that we had much bigger problems than taking care of a few raw spots, but she was too stubborn to back down so eventually I had given in. A small smile graces my features at the though of her annoyed eye rolls and multiple threats to handcuff me to the table if I didn't sit still long enough for her to finish applying the bandages. My grin quickly fades as my gaze travels to my friend's face, reminding me of why I'm in medical in the first place.

Four days. That's how long I've been sitting next to Bellamy's bed waiting for him to wake up, waiting for him to open his eyes. I've spent most of my time alone in the room, the others come visit often of course, but they've been so busy trying to repair the damage that ALIE had done that they haven't had much free time. Raven's visited more than most, mainly because she's been forcing me to eat and drink since I refuse to leave my friend's side, taking care of myself hasn't exactly been at the top of my priority list. I look down at our intertwined hands, I haven't let go since I first came to sit with him all those days ago, his dark skin a stark contrast to the white gauze wrapped thickly around my palm. My eyes travel up his arm to the small needle mark where I'd given him the transfusion that saved his life and across to his stomach where the bullet that nearly killed him had torn through his flesh. I continue my inspection up his chest, where the crisscross pattern of knife wounds is covered with bandages, until finally my eyes land on his face.

He looks so young, so vulnerable, the normally impenetrable walls that he uses to hide his emotions have crumbled away from the pain he's suffered, leaving nothing but the real Bellamy Blake. The little boy who lost his mother, who sacrificed everything in order to save his little sister, the one who risks his life constantly to save everyone else. He looks so peaceful; as if all the worry, fear, and pain have been wiped away to reveal a moment of pure tranquility in his chaotic life. His normally stoic expression and brash behavior have been replaced by a sense of innocence and peace that reminds me of a child, making him look years younger. It reminds me of how he looked back on the Ark, even if I'd only seen him in fleeting glances as we passed each other without a word. It reminds me of a simpler time. The time before we'd been thrown onto earth to face certain death, before we'd endured so much suffering and pain. A time when we could walk freely without fearing an attack from any direction, or when we could sleep without nightmares of our mistakes plaguing us even after we woke up. A small chuckle escapes me as I shake my head, it's ironic that he seems the most at ease when he's fighting for his life.

I guess that's just a consequence of being sent to earth; everything about you changes. Peacemakers become instruments of war, leaders become followers, followers become revolutionaries, siblings become strangers, doctors become murderers. You learn to live with death, you get used to it, you even welcome it. Everything becomes about surviving and nothing else, that's just the way things are around here, you just have to accept the fact that you can't save everyone. Then something like this happens and it feels like you could move a mountain if it meant that you could just help this one person, just one person out of thousands. My eyes remain on Bellamy's face, every part of me willing him to wake up.

Despite my wishes, there hasn't been much change in his condition. He hasn't made a sound since we brought him here, unless you count the occasional pained groan or labored breath, and I can't escape the constant anxiety that creeps into my heart with each passing hour. He needs to wake up or I'm afraid I'll lose my mind. I look down at our intertwined hands and let out a tired sigh, running my thumb across his knuckles slowly.

"Hey Bellamy." My voice floats through the empty room as I speak to my friend, something that I've started doing to calm my nerves. It started out as a simple conversation, I would tell him that he was getting better and that he should be waking up any time now or I'd let him know how the others were doing. Eventually it turned into something more, it was like I was keeping him alive solely through my words and that, maybe, it would be enough to make him keep fighting for his life. A frown adorns my face as I lay my other hand on his arm. "It's been four days. Four days of me sitting here, begging you to open your eyes, for you to do something." I bite my lip, letting my eyes fall closed for a moment.

"It's time for you to wake up, Bellamy. Just open your eyes so this can all be over, I need this to be over." My gaze once again lands on his face, my mind replaying images of his cocky smile and wild eyes. A sigh escapes me and I grip his hand tighter, terrified that I'll never get to see that grin again. "I miss your smile, Bellamy. I miss the way you always picked on me or made me laugh, how you always knew just what to say. I long for the way you wouldn't let me bear my guilt alone, how you were always willing to forgive me no matter what I did. I miss the light in your eyes and the courage in your heart." A tear slips down my cheek as an overwhelming sense of loss consumes me, the suddenness of it stealing my breath away. Dozens of questions start to fly through my brain; what if he doesn't make it? What if I'm left to live the rest of my life with the guilt of his death hovering over me? What if I lose my friend, my best friend?

Before I can stop it, a sob escapes me and I lay my head down on the bed next to his arm. "I miss you, Bellamy. You have to wake up, I need you to wake up." Tears stream down my face as I try to suppress the cries that wrack my body. Slowly I stand to my feet, never letting go of his hand, and place a kiss on his forehead before sitting down next to him on the bed. Carefully I put my hand on his chest, letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat soothe the ache in my heart. The slow rise and fall of his chest is enough to calm my frayed nerves and my sobs eventually subside, leaving me completely exhausted from the past few days.

Suddenly there's a knock at the door and I quickly wipe my tears away, intent on keeping my breakdown a secret. I turn my head towards the entrance and watch as my mother walks in, a concerned look on her face when she realizes that Bellamy still hasn't woken up. Abby, Kane, and the rest of Skaikru who had taken the chip had returned two days after I'd shut down the City of Light, but this is the first time I've even seen my mom since then. I haven't been able to face her after what she'd done to me, to my friends. My jaw clenches involuntarily as she starts to make her way over to the bed where I'm currently sitting, the tension in the room automatically rising.

"How is he?" Her gaze flits over the boy on the table, a hint of remorse and guilt in her eyes.

"No change." The words come out sharper than I intended but I keep my attention fixed on Bellamy, refusing to meet the questioning look that I know she's giving me. "There haven't been any complications with his wounds, so now we just have to wait for him to wake up." I hope that the report will be enough to satisfy her curiosity, or that my tone might give her an indication to leave, but she doesn't. She takes a step closer, my grip on Bellamy's hand tightening on instinct at the movement. Hurt flashes across her face and I swallow uncomfortably in an attempt stop the dismissive words that are threatening to come out. My mom moves so that she's standing across from me.

"Clarke..." I cut her off before she has the chance to continue.

"I can't talk about this right now." I snap at her, unable to contain the anger that's starting to rise in me. She's part of the reason why Bellamy is in this situation and, chipped or not, that's not something I can just forget. Despite my attempt to quiet her, she continues on.

"I'm so sorry, Clarke. You know I would never hurt Bellamy." Suddenly rage builds in me and I stand to my feet, throwing my hands in the air.

"But you did! You're the one who had those Grounders beat him, you're the one who handed Kane the knife!" A tear falls down my cheek as I look at the boy on the table, his body covered in bandages and bruises. "He could die, mom! And it's because of you." Abby shakes her head, both sorrow and anger contorting her features.

"I wasn't in control when that happened, ALIE was! She made me do all those things, there was nothing I could do to stop it!"

"Raven did!" I slam my hand down on the table next to Bellamy's bed, a loud crash echoing through the room. "Raven beat ALIE, so why couldn't you? Why couldn't you fight back?!" Tears are streaming down my face as I sink into the chair by my friend's bed, putting my head in my hands. My mom moves towards me to offer comfort but I shake my head. "Don't touch me." Abby stops short at my words, her eyes shining with unshed tears, and she takes a step back. I wish I had it in me to forgive her, but I just can't right now. Every time I look at her I see Bellamy's beaten face, the gun pointed at his head, his whispered goodbye as his eyes fell closed. I finally meet her eyes for the first time since she arrived.

"Please just go." My mom shakes her head.

"Clarke..."

"Please, mom." I cut her off. "Just go." After a few moments of hesitation, she turns around and heads for the door. I try to ignore the obvious shaking of her shoulders as silent tears fall from her eyes, tears that I'd caused. I feel awful for shutting her out like this, but every time I look at her I see my best friend nearly dying and I can't handle that right now. I just don't have the willpower to forgive my mom and save Bellamy, not when the latter has my heart aching with worry. Slowly I turn to Bellamy, retaking his hand in mine, and sit down on the bed. The confrontation with my mother that she had hoped would result in her forgiveness only served to bring my doubts to the forefront of my mind. After seeing what they did to him, it's likely that Bellamy won't survive this. I immediately shake my head, effectively clearing the thoughts from my mind. He's going to be ok, he has to be. I take a shuddering breath and reach out to wipe a speck of dirt off his face, careful to avoid the gash on his temple as I do so.

He looks peaceful despite his wounds and I sigh, I would gladly welcome his usual stoic expression if it meant that he would wake up. I move to brush a stray strand of unruly blonde hair from my face, only then noticing that my hands are shaking. I squeeze my eyes shut and ball my hand into a fist, trying to stop the shaking. My efforts only make it worse and soon my whole body is trembling, causing me to wrap my arms around my midsection in an attempt to calm myself. My gaze settles on Bellamy and I shake my head. I have to be strong, for him. I take a deep breath and bow my head, once again grasping my friend's calloused hand for comfort. My words come out as I whisper as I run a hand through his hair.

"Wake up, Bellamy. I can't lose you too." I let my eyes fall closed and lay my head down on the bed. I've only been there for a moment when a loud sigh fills the room, followed by a pained groan. I immediately raise my head, eyes searching for the source of the sound. As soon as my gaze lands on the boy next to me, I'm met with brown eyes staring back at me.

"Hey Princess." Bellamy's hoarse whisper floats through the air like a melody, making my heart skip a beat. For a moment I just sit there in stunned silence, every bit of worry and anxiety that's been weighing me down vanishing as the realization hits me: he's alive. I can't help the gasp that escapes me, a grin quickly making its way onto my tired face.

"Bellamy!" Without thinking I throw my arms around him, tears of joy streaming down my face. For a moment he sits there, stunned, then wraps me in an embrace that I've been praying for over the past few days. Slowly I pull away, taking in every feature of his smiling face. Suddenly it's like all my doubt washes away and I squeeze his hand, not even realizing that I'm still holding it. "I thought I lost you." Bellamy's smile fades for a moment, taking on a more serious expression.

"You'll never lose me." The sincerity in his voice sends a shiver down my spine, every ounce of worry and grief I've been holding in dissipating at his words. I look down at him for what feels like the first time and a smile greets my face at the sight of the boy on the table, the boy that I can't afford to lose. My friend slowly reaches up and places his hand on my cheek, cupping my face, and smiles weakly. I don't know if it's the realization that I could've lost him or just the look in his eyes that makes me do it, but suddenly I'm leaning down towards him. Before I have time to stop myself, my lips are on Bellamy's. All my worry, pain, and fear of the last few days is poured into the kiss, silently communicating that I can't lose him. In that one moment there's just me and Bellamy, oblivious to the outside world.

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_Well that's it for chapter six, I finally brought in bellarke and I hope you guys were satisfied with how it turned out. Thank you so much for reading this story and I'd appreciate any reviews. Until the next chapter_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey guys! It's been a long day but somehow I managed to get this next update finished on time despite the chaotic events of my afternoon. Anyways, I'm happy to give you chapter Seven!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination_

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Chapter Seven

Holy shit, I'm kissing Bellamy Blake. It takes my mind a few moments to catch up with my body as I run my fingers through Bellamy's hair, the dark curls feel soft against my fingertips. Bellamy has one of his hands resting on my lower back while the other is cupping my face as he continues to kiss me, pulling me closer to him. Every touch lights my skin on fire, the kiss quickly becoming more frantic as I fist my hand in his hair as the other trails down his chest. Suddenly he begins to sit up from his prone position on the cot, never breaking the kiss, but a pained grunt escapes him from the movement due to his injuries. I immediately pull away and apologize.

"Oh my gosh, Bellamy I'm so sorry! I didn't even think about..." He quickly cuts me off and lowers himself back onto the bed, loosely clutching his stomach.

"It's fine Princess, just got a little excited I guess." I gently put my hand on his arm and offer him a small smile before nodding, my mind still reeling from the events of a few moments ago. We're silent for a minute, both of us content with just enjoying the others company. His grimace turns into a smirk as he looks at my hand resting on his arm. "That was one hell of a welcome back." He winks at me. "Didn't know you felt that way." My face automatically heats up at his words, red slowly creeping onto my cheeks as I blush. I shrug in an attempt to hide my reaction, but I know it's no use.

"I'm just full of surprises I guess." He huffs out a small laugh at my words and nods.

"Yeah, you are." I'm about to reply when I hear the door open and I turn to see none other than Raven entering the Medbay. The second her eyes land on Bellamy, an excited yell leaves her mouth and she rushes over.

"You're awake!" The mechanic comes to a stop next to the bed and rests her hand on Bellamy's shoulder, a huge grin adorning her face. The boy winces slightly and lifts a palm to his head.

"Yeah and I also have a massive headache, so do you mind keeping it down?" My friend quickly nods in understanding and apologizes before motioning to the door.

"I'm going to go tell the others, everybody's been worried about you." Without another word she dashes out the door and into the hallway in search of our friends, causing a smile to creep its way onto my face. I glance back at Bellamy to make a joke, but stop short when I see him staring at me with concern etched into his features. I look at him in confusion for a moment before speaking.

"Bell, what's wrong..." I need no further explanation as I follow his gaze to my torso, where the scars from my mother's scalpel are clearly visible. A sigh escapes me as I shake my head, he just woke up and he's already worrying again. "I'm fine." He shakes his head.

"No you're not. None of this is fine, Clarke." He motions towards the door. "Those people out there; they're our friends, and now they won't even be able to look at each other without being reminded of the awful things they've done. Nothing is ever going to be the same." My friend slowly pushes himself up into a sitting position, resting his uninjured arm across his stomach with a grimace. I immediately move to help him, but he waves me off and settles back against the wall behind him.

"We had a life here, we fought for it everyday. We finally had something good; no Grounders trying to kill us, no more Mountain Men, things were starting to work out for the first time since we landed on this God-forsaken planet. And now it's like we're starting over. Octavia can't even look me in the eye and I'm her brother, I can't imagine what it's going to be like for everyone else. We're back at square one: trust no one." He pauses for a moment, glancing at my face. "Where did we go wrong?" I open my mouth to answer, to somehow restore his faith in our people, but Raven chooses that exact moment to enter the room with the others in tow.

The group immediately begins to bombard the dark haired boy with questions, none of them stopping long enough to actually let him answer. "I'm so glad you're ok!" "How are you feeling?" and "If you ever scare me like that again I swear I'll kill you myself!" are only a few of the sentences I can decipher from the jumble of words, the last statement in particular came from Raven. Bellamy frantically glances between each member of the crowd, which consists of Murphy, Raven, Monty, and Harper, while trying decide who to answer first. I note that Jasper and Emori are nowhere to be found. Finally, before chaos can ensue, I throw my hands up in the air and motion for everyone to be quiet.

"Everyone calm down! He can't answer all of your questions at once." My friends hush at my outburst, each muttering an apology before slowly continuing in turn. The older Blake sibling regards each of his companions and quickly answers all of their inquiries, repeatedly assuring them that he's ok and that he isn't going to fall over and die while they're not looking. As the impromptu interrogation wears on, I can see that Bellamy's awareness is fading, each passing minute draining what little energy he has after his ordeal and causing his eyelids to drop slightly. He glances over at me and, with a quick nod, I turn to the others.

"Ok guys that's enough for now, he needs to rest." Monty starts to argue but I shake my head. "I promise y'all can talk to him again later. Ok?" They seem to let out one big, collective sigh before grudgingly heading towards the door in unison, each one looking back at the boy in the bed before exiting the room.

"Since when did you get so popular?" I ask jokingly as I watch the group retreating into the hallway. A small chuckle echoes behind me and I know he's sporting his signature smirk without even turning around.

"Aw come on, Princess, you know no one can resist my charm." I roll my eyes as I turn to face him.

"Yeah, right." The sarcastic comment does little but make him raise his eyebrows, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. With a small smile I move towards the supply cabinet, grabbing a blanket from inside it, and motion for him to lie back down. As usual, he refuses my help and props himself up higher against the wall. I shake my head. "Lay down, you need to rest if you're going to heal."

"I'm fine." An annoyed sigh escapes me at his reply.

"Bellamy Blake, lie down before I get Monty to come up with some sleeping pills for you." My friend slowly moves into a prone position at my threat, throwing me mock angry glares as he does so. I know he wants to sleep despite the fact that he insists he doesn't need it. Carefully, I spread the blanket over his battered body, pretending not to hear the contented sigh that escapes him the moment he fabric covers him. He quickly begins to lose his fight with consciousness, his eyes fluttering closed before he groggily opens them again. I gently run my hand through his hair before leaning towards him slightly. "Get some sleep." He doesn't even try to argue and he involuntarily pulls the blanket tighter around him, the warmth it brings beginning to lull him to sleep. When it seems like he's no longer awake, I rise to my feet, only to be stopped by the sound of his voice.

"Clarke..." My heart breaks at the broken sound of his voice, the single word seeming to take every ounce of strength he has left.

"Yeah?" I move closer to his bed in order to hear his mumbled reply, the pillow further muffling his words. It's so quiet I almost don't hear it.

"Please don't leave." It takes everything I have not to break down at his desperate words, the plea reminds me of a child who is afraid of the dark. I quickly return to my spot beside the cot.

"I'm not going anywhere." I tentatively grasp his hand before moving to sit down in the chair next to his bed, but stop short when he scoots to one side of the makeshift mattress. Bellamy lifts the blankets up so there's room for another person, faintly motioning for me to join him. He never makes eye contact with me. It's as if he's ashamed that he doesn't want to be alone, that he wants the comfort of another person in his time of need. I want to say something, anything, to let him know that it's going to be alright, but there's nothing I could possibly think of that will make the situation any better. My body seems to move in slow motion as I lay down on the bed, reluctant to make any physical contact in case he feels uncomfortable. My reservations about the situation disappear when he instinctively pulls me closer, needed comfort. I wrap my arms around him, carefully, and let out a relieved sigh when I hear his breathing even out mere minutes after I lay down. For the moment, there's a peaceful atmosphere encompassing the room, and i realize that I'm just as exhausted as Bellamy was because of the ordeal that we'd experienced only days before. My eyes fall closed and I let myself drift away into a calm slumber, reveling in the fact that, for now, everything is alright.

* * *

I don't know how much time has passed before I finally wake up, my head groggy with sleep. My gaze wanders to Bellamy's face, the boy next to me still dozing peacefully on the bed. Slowly, I begin to extract myself from his arms, careful not to wake him, and stand to my feet. I turn my head to either side and stretch my arms above my head, letting out a quiet sigh as I do so, and begin to become more aware of my surroundings. I don't have much time to relax, however, because as soon as I'm fully awake, none other than Marcus Kane walks through the door of the Medbay. The man stops short when he sees me, guilt immediately encompassing his features. It seems for a moment that he's going to turn around and leave but, eventually, he takes a step forward.

"May I come in?" I know that Kane can't necessarily be held responsible for what he did to Bellamy, but that doesn't stop the onslaught of images that enters my mind at the sight of him. Every moment in the throne room replays in my head.

"That depends, are you gonna shoot him again?" I can't contain the venom that echoes in my voice as I answer, every fiber of my being wanting to punish him for what he's done. After a moment I nod slowly, motioning for him to enter as I fight to control my raging emotions. Marcus carefully makes his way towards Bellamy's bed, making sure not to get too close, and comes to a stop a few feet away from the cot. He doesn't say anything, just stares in anguish at the boy on the table. My gaze flits over his form and a frown adorns my face; he looks awful. It seems as if he's aged years since the last time I saw him, with permanent worry lines etched into his forehead and deep, sunken eyes that look like they belong on a skeleton gazing out of their sockets. His whole demeanor has changed; he's cautious and repentant rather than commanding and forceful. The Kane that I knew on the Ark, the man that had strived to be better than he was before, was gone. All that's left of that man is a cold, broken shell.

I know that I should feel bad for the man, but I can't bring myself to feel sorrow for the person that tortured my friend. Even now I can see the phantom blood dripping from his hands, I can hear the sound of the gun going off, I can feel the agonizing pain rippling through my entire being as I scream in anguish at Bellamy's destruction. My attitude towards my companion must be obvious, because he shuffles his feet slightly and glances at me, almost not willing to meet my gaze. Finally, he looks me in the eye.

"I'm sorry." His stare immediately shifts back to Bellamy, his voice wavering faintly. "I know that I will never be able to make for what I've done, that I don't deserve to be forgiven. So I'm not asking for forgiveness, I'm simply giving you an apology."

"I don't want it, I'm not the one who needs your apology." A small sigh escapes Kane's lips as he nods.

"Bellamy's a good kid, I might not have seen it at first, but I can't deny that he always wants what's best for his people. He's a fighter." The man tilts his head slightly, shifting his gaze towards me. "I will never try to justify my actions because there is no mercy for what I've done to you, to Bellamy, but I do want you to know that his recovery is my first priority. Anything that you need to take care of him and the others; it's yours." Marcus' eyes roam over the multitude of injuries that litter my friend's body, guilt creeping into his gaze with each passing moment. "Will he be alright?" I bite back the response that threatens to escape me and clench my jaw, trying to control my emotions. Anger once again begins to seep into my veins at the inquiry, he has no right to even ask that after what he did to him. After a minute, I nod slowly.

"Bellamy's strong, he'll pull through. He always does." My words seem to unsettle Kane, and he shakes his head in disbelief.

"He always does." He mutters quietly. "He never should've been in this situation in the first place, let alone more than once. He's just a kid, all of you are." My blood boils and I spin around to face him, seemingly catching the man off guard.

"You're wrong...we WERE kids. Before you threw us away like trash, like we were worthless." I spit out the words that have been replaying in my mind ever since we landed on the ground. "We were children that got thrown into an adult war, one that was fought with spears and knives and fists. We paid the price for your misjudgments with our lives, most of the time there was more BLOOD on the ground than dirt or grass. People died the very day we landed on Earth, and you just watched from up above as their names disappeared from your monitors. They were kids that I knew and they were nothing more than lab rats to you; nothing more than a name on a gravestone." I fight to keep the bitterness out of my tone, but one glance at Bellamy has me near my breaking point. "We got sent down to the ground to die before we even had the chance to really live. And now...we're not those kids anymore."

It seems like Kane is about to reply, but it's at that moment that Bellamy's eyes flutter open. His gaze immediately flies Marcus, fear and rage gleaming in his eyes.

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_Well that's it for chapter seven, I genuinely hope you guys loved it. I'd love to hear what you think about the story so far so, if you're feeling inclined, I'd appreciate any reviews._


	8. Chapter 8

_Hey guys, sorry for the delayed update but ive been super busy. anyways, on to chapter Eight._

_disclaimer: i own nothing but my imagination._

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Chapter Eight

As soon as he opens his eyes, Bellamy's gaze lands on the man next to me and, before I can stop him, he leaps to his feet. In one swift motion he shoves Kane backwards and protectively positions me behind him.

"Get away from us!" My friend's entire body is shaking, whether it's from fear or rage I can't tell, and I immediately try to diffuse the situation.

"Bellamy, wait." Before I can get another word out, he charges Marcus, who has just risen to his feet after the initial blow. The younger man slams into his chest, sending both of them sprawling across the floor, knocking over a tray of medical equipment in the process. Bell punches Kane in the face twice, his opponent refusing to fight back in fear of injuring him further, and I rush towards him.

"Stop! Stop, he's on our side!" When it's obvious that he didn't hear me, I have no choice but to shove him off of the other man, trying to ignore his grunt of pain as I do so. Just as Bellamy tries to attack again, I jump in between him and his target, putting my hands up in a submissive manner. My friend continues to stare at Marcus, breathing heavily as the other man begins to stand.

"He tried to kill me!" He attempts to move around me, but I place a gentle yet firm hand on his chest to stop him.

"He was chipped...but we took care of it." Bellamy continues to struggle slightly, my words not quite registering in his mind. Slowly, I reach out and place my palm on his cheek, forcing him to look at me. "Bellamy, you're safe. It's over." I watch as the fight dissipates from his features, his entire body sagging slightly as if all his energy has been drained. A small smile adorns my face at the turn of events, but it quickly disappears as I glance at Kane.

"Get out." The command leaves my lips before I even realize I'm saying it. The older man shakes his head.

"I..." I cut him off.

"I said get OUT!" Without another word, he exits the Medbay, fleeing into the hallway. With that taken care off, I return my attention to the boy in front of me; he doesn't look good. His breathing is labored and I can see blood oozing onto the white bandage on his arm, looks like he pulled some stitches. A sigh escapes me as I motion for him to stand, moving closer to help him along. As soon as he goes to move, however, a shout escapes him and he tumbles to the floor.

"Gah!" My friend clutches at his broken ribs and grimaces as his labored breathing aggravates the injuries on his chest as well. I quickly roll him onto his back so he's lying down before trying to assess his condition. My thumb involuntarily begins to rub across his cheek, the same way it had when we were in the throne room, and he leans into the touch. The boy groans loudly as his ribs shift uncomfortably and I do my best to comfort him.

"Shhh, it's ok. You're ok. Just try to breathe." Bellamy swallows thickly before taking a deep breath, the action seeming to ease his pain. His eyes fall closed for a few seconds and I can tell he's beginning to calm down. "Good, that's it." My companion reopens his eyes and offers me a small nod before slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position, wincing as he does so. I move to support his weight to alleviate some of the stress from his injuries and he manages a small smile at my efforts. His expression morphs into shame as he glances at me and I'm about to ask what's wrong, when he speaks.

"Can you...help me up?" My heart breaks at the request, the dark haired boy never asks for help, he views it as a sign of weakness. I know that he must be in immense pain if he needs my assistance just to get up. With a nod I place my arm around his shoulders and slowly help him to his feet, automatically bearing a lot of his weight because of his damaged leg, and we trudge back towards the bed. After a bit of effort, Bellamy pulls himself up onto the cot and lies back, letting out a relieved sigh as he does so.

"Thank you." He breathes out quietly. I simply nod at him and take my established seat next to the bed, thankful that that crisis is over with. Suddenly my friend reaches out and grabs my hand, squeezing it tightly. I look up at him to see a whirlwind of emotions playing over his usually stoic face.

"Thank you." I know now that he's not just talking about helping him up, he's talking about what happened in the throne room. He's thanking me for saving his life, for being there, for everything. I place my other hand on top of our intertwined ones, moving myself closer to him in the process.

"Of course." A smile smile adorns my face as I wink at him. "Besides, who else is gonna argue with me all the time if you're not around?" A chuckle escapes him at my joke and he rolls his eyes good-heartedly.

"I don't argue all the time." He draws the last word out for emphasis and I raise my eyebrows.

"Oh it's definitely all the time." He glances at me skeptically and I scoff. "Bellamy Blake, you would argue with a squirrel if you thought you needed to. Arguing is just your thing." My friend gapes at me for a moment before replying.

"I would not! And I hardly ever argue." I gasp in surprise at his comment.

"You're arguing with me right now!" My words seem to catch him off guard and he pauses, thinking of a response. I know I'm triumphant when he crosses his arms, a small pout creeping onto his face.

"Whatever." A laugh bubbles out of me as I look at his annoyed expression and he slowly begins to join me, unable to contain his content at the light-hearted attitude. We continue with this for a long time, both bantering back and forth, glad to have this one moment of relaxation after the ordeal that we've been through.

* * *

Kane's POV

My head throbs painfully as I cradle my face in my hands, a powerful migraine having started to take hold after my encounter with Bellamy, and I let out a tired sigh. What have I done? The events in Polis are fresh in my memory; I can still see the poor boy's skin split as I drag the blade down his chest, I can feel his blood dripping onto my hands. These will be my reoccurring nightmares, even without sleeping I know that this is true, I'll never escape from this. My thoughts are interrupted by a quiet knock on the door to my quarters and I quickly regain my composure before answering.

"Come in." The heavy door swings open slightly, just enough so a slender woman can slip inside before shutting it with a soft click. Abby stands there for a moment, unsure of what to do, before slowly making her way to the chair next to the bed where I'm currently sitting. She fidgets with her hands before looking up at me, barely concealed concern edging onto her face.

"How's Bellamy?" My heart thuds loudly in my chest at the question, my friend bringing up possibly the only topic I don't want to talk about. After taking a deep breath to calm my frayed nerves, I allow my brain to come up with a sufficient answer.

"He's healing, albeit slowly." The two of us sit there awkwardly for a moment, both unsure of what to say. Abby nods slowly, as if giving herself time to comprehend my reply, before continuing.

"It's good that he's at least making progress." The reply is strained, the tension of the situation undermining her usually easygoing demeanor. I consider keeping quiet and simply agreeing with her but I shake my head as my thoughts roam, spilling out of my mouth before I can stop them.

"He never should've had to go through that." My words come out as barely above a whisper and I'm surprised that she even heard me. I feel as if my chest is in a vice, squeezing the air out of it with each passing second. "What I did to him..." Before I can continue, Abby interrupts.

"You didn't have control over your actions Marcus, you can't hold yourself accountable for what happened to Bellamy." My friend's logic does little to calm me and I glance over at her.

"That's just it, I can't change it because I was under someone else's control, but that isn't the whole problem. This has happened before." I pause for a moment and let my words sink in before continuing. "On the Ark, I destroyed dozens of innocent people because the council was pulling my strings; they made me believe I was doing the right thing. It was for the 'greater good'. ALIE did the same thing, she got into my head and made me tear Bellamy apart."

"Kane..." Abby tries to intervene, but I cut her off.

"He's just a boy, Abby. He's a child!" I suck in a defeated breath, the full extent of my actions now weighing heavily on my shoulders. "Why is it that our children always end up paying the price for our mistakes?"

"Marcus, what happened in Polis doesn't define us, everything will be alright if we just give it time. But for now, the kids pulled through and that's all that matters." I scoff at her optimistic attitude, how she can manage to hold onto that after everything that's happened this week eludes me.

"It's not just what happened in Polis, that's just my most recent mistake. This isn't the first time that I've harmed those kids, it's not the first time adults have almost ruined their lives." I don't even have to look in her direction to know that she's fully aware of what I'm talking about. The tension in the room rises slightly at the mention of what started all of this, what began the cycle of pain and suffering for our people on earth.

"We sent 100 children to the ground, children that we claimed to love. They were full of life and joy and now there's nothing left of them but remnants of who they used to be. We dropped a bunch of kids out of the sky and we arrived to find 48 battle-hardened warriors in their place. We threw them to the wolves because the adults who were supposed to protect them couldn't find a solution, they were viewed as expendable when it came to the Ark's survival." I look down at my hands, imagining all the horrors those teenagers when through when we put them on the ground. "In all reality, these kids were the ones who saved our people; not us, not the ones who thought they were solving the problem. They saved us because they survived, not because they were sacrificed so that we could live for a few more months in a tin can in the cosmos." I let out a sigh and Abby puts a hand on my knee and glances over at me, sorrow clear in her gaze.

"We thought we were doing the right thing." I shake my head, unwilling to hear the excuses and lies that we fed ourselves in order to sleep at night.

"So did Jaha when he gave people the chips, so did ALIE when she lured people into the City of Light. Can't you see? We don't know what the right thing to do is, we always make the wrong decisions and people get hurt. Good, innocent people. We floated innocent people under the guise that we were bettering the population, that murder was justified under the law. Look where that got us! Look what we have become!" I stand to my feet, throwing my hands in the air in frustration. "Our leaders tossed a group of children, some no older than fourteen, to a desolate planet that our own guardsmen wouldn't even go to. We basically committed genocide because it was the law!" I run a hand through my dark hair and let out an exasperated sigh, motioning between the two of us.

"You floated your own husband because he wanted to save our people, I killed Bellamy Blake's mother for having a baby, and we called those kids criminals! We destroyed the very people who could've changed everything, and now their children are the ones sacrificing it all for the greater good." That one sentence seems to drain all the energy out of me and I sink to my knees in anguish, every fiber of my being screaming in hatred for myself. "Clarke risked her life by going into the City of Light to save the rest of us, Bellamy was willing to die to keep his people safe, and I almost killed them for it." I glance up at Abby, who's come to stand beside me after I fell to the ground. Tears well inside my eyes, threatening to spill out across my face to mingle with the dirt and grime that life on earth has seemed to permanently place there. They didn't deserve this, they deserve better than the life we gave them.

"Doesn't that terrify you?" My voice is barely above a whisper, cracking with each word I utter into the dark room. "Isn't it scary that they were ready to die at such a young age, when we weren't even brave enough to journey with them to the ground?" My friend is at a loss for words, she knows that there's nothing that can be said to comfort me or make up for the things we've done. Instead, she kneels down beside me and grabs my hand, wrapping her other arm around me. I lean into her touch, just needing the support after the toll that the past few months have taken on my battered soul. We stay like this for what seems like forever, neither willing to break the contact, until early morning sunlight flows into the room with the promise of a new day. Slowly, I begin to pull away, knowing that there is work that needs to be done and that the time for self pity is over. Without a word, I stand to my feet and begin to walk towards the door.

"Kane." Abby's voice stops me and I turn my head to glance in her direction, but I don't turn all the way around. She simply gives me a small, forlorn smile. "All we can do...is be better than we were yesterday." I let my eyes fall closed, her words echoing through my mind, and I nod slowly. I don't reply to her, instead I turn back towards the door, clench my jaw, and leave. I pray that some way I can't put everything that's happened behind me, that somehow, someday, I can forgive myself for what I've done.

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_Well thats it for chapter Eight! i hope you guys enjoyed it. I appreciate everyone who has been keeping up with this story and those who have left a review. i hope you like where this story is going. And in response to a review that i got, yes it will begin to diverge more from canon as the story progresses but praimfaya mark 2 will nit occur in this story. Thank you for the support._


	9. Chapter 9

_Hey guys! I finally finished this chapter even with a case of writer's block, so i hope you enjoy it._

_disclaimer: i own nothing but my imagination._

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Chapter Nine

(Back to Clarke's POV)

Leaves crunch under my feet as I tread through the forest in search of a certain dark haired boy who failed to come in for his check-up this morning, not that I'm surprised, Bellamy has been religiously avoiding anything to do with the MedBay since he's been taken off of bed rest.

It's been almost five weeks since we carried Bellamy to Arkadia and his injuries are finally almost healed, the gunshot wound being the only severe remaining problem. He's getting stronger with each passing day and he's back to refusing anyone else's help when it comes to anything physical, against my instructions I might add. He's getting impatient after waiting for his body to recuperate, constantly insisting that he's fine and can handle himself. My friend tries to convince everyone that he is as good as new, and for the most part they believe him, but he can't fool me. I don't miss the way he discretely puts a hand over his stomach at the slightest sudden movement or how flinches at every loud noise, quickly masking the reaction with a relaxed posture.

He still won't let my mother or Kane anywhere near him, won't even look at them aside from an uneasy glare anytime they enter the room. I can't say that I blame him, I still can't bring myself to forgive them for what they did. I'm not sure if I ever will.

The thing that worries me most, however, is the empty look he gets in his eyes when he thinks no one is looking. It's like every ounce of strength has been sucked out of him, leaving nothing but a hollow shell of the boy he used to be. Even his charming smile seems feigned and his eyes are dull when he laughs, there's no life in them anymore. I can't say that I'm surprised, no one can go through what he went through and come out unscathed. Kane and my mother hit him where they knew it would hurt the most, Bellamy had to sit there while two people he considered family attacked him and then wake up to find that his sister left. Octavia has visited a few times since we brought Bellamy back, but she never stayed more than a day or so before she'd disappear again. Family means everything to him and now, in his eyes, he lost it. Octavia, Kane, Abby; they all abandoned him. I just hope that he can come to understand that he still has a family left, he still has people who love him.

My thoughts are interrupted when I walk into a small clearing. It's maybe twenty feet wide with a large tree at the center, and I'm not surprised to see Bellamy standing in front of the plant holding something in his hand. He makes a motion with his hand and begins to mark something on the bark but his shoulders block my view of what he's doing. After a moment, he takes a step back and I catch a glimpse of a red circle with a ring around it painted in the center of the tree; a target. It's then that I notice a black backpack sitting on the ground by his feet and my mind attempts to come up with an explanation.

A twig snaps under my feet and Bellamy whirls around, dropping his makeshift paintbrush on the grass as he does so, and his hand moves towards his hip. Even though he visibly relaxes when he realizes the identity of his intruder, I don't miss the wild look in his eyes when he first turned around. I also don't miss the fact that his hand had been reaching for a hunting knife that is strapped to his belt, he was expecting an attack. He seems to notice my scrutinizing gaze and shifts uncomfortably, causing my to bring my stare to his face with what I hope is a lighthearted smile.

"Easy there tiger, it's just me." I put my hands up in mock surrender and take a step forward, waiting to see his reaction. My friend let's out a somewhat forced chuckle and moves his hand away from his hip, automatically trying to distract from his anxious behavior. My eyes wander to the target and I cock my head to the side.

"So we're defacing the environment now?" The boy shrugs his shoulders at my failed attempt of a joke and picks up the bag off the ground, barely concealing the grimace that the pain from the action causes. Slowly, he walks towards the forest until he's about twenty feet from his target and tosses the backpack onto the dirt.

"I just figured I could use some practice, ya know, since I've been on bed rest for over a month." He glances over in my direction sarcastically and I know that he's teasing me for forcing him to stay in the Medbay for that long. I roll my eyes as I make my way over to him as he bends down to unzip the bag. It's then that I notice his hands are shaking slightly, the movement sending alarm bells blaring in my head. When my companion is finally able to get the backpack opened, I understand why he seems nervous; there's a pistol sitting inside the container. For a moment, he simply stares at the weapon like he's trying to decide what to do next. Finally, the boy reaches towards the pistol. I watch as Bellamy takes a deep breath, carefully reaching for the gun as if it's a dangerous animal waiting to attack, and takes hold of the weapon.

His fingers grasp it awkwardly, loosely, as if it's some foreign object that he's never seen before. My friend stares at the glistening metal for a few moments, his jaw clenched as he breathes deeply in and out. His eyes fall closed for a second before he nods, opening them, and raises his arms so they're aimed at the target. I watch him carefully, taking note of his condition. His arms are shaking intensely as he holds the gun up, sweat drips from his hairline despite the cool morning air, and his breath is coming in quiet, shallow gasps. I'm about to say something, when he pulls the trigger. The pistol fires with a loud bang, a bright flash of light following the path of the bullet, and I stare as the projectile completely misses the tree, soaring out into the woods. I hear a loud cry and I immediately whirl around to face the source.

Bellamy drops the gun on the ground as if it burned him, gazing at the object with a mixture of fear and pain. His breath is coming in rapid gasps and I can see his entire body shaking as he quickly tries to back away from the weapon lying in the grass. My friend trips on a tree root and begins to tumble over backward, I'm barely able to catch him in time. The boy struggles in my grip as I firmly place my hands on his shoulders trying to calm him down.

"Bellamy." It's like he can't even hear me. He's hyperventilating, his eyes darting around the forest in a frenzied panic as I desperately try to get his attention.

"Bellamy calm down, it's ok." He still won't look at me, but fragmented sentences begin to spill from his mouth.

"I...I can't. Not after..." My friend absentmindedly puts his hand over his abdomen, the appendage shaking uncontrollably. Suddenly, it clicks. The throne room, the gunshot, he can't even look at a gun without remembering what happened to him. Carefully, I reach out and grab his shaking hands.

"Bellamy..." He still doesn't acknowledge me, instead he becomes more frantic, his eyes dart back and forth and his breathing increases even more. I have to get his attention. "Bellamy!" Finally, his gaze snaps to my face, eyes wide. I can see some of the clarity returning to his stare as he slowly realizes that it's me. My hand instinctively moves to his cheek, rubbing my thumb across it. "It's ok." He nods slowly, finally starting to calm down. "You're ok." A single tear drips down his cheek and I pull him to me, wrapping my arms around him. His entire body trembles, it's as if I can feel his very bones rattling as we touch. My friend let's out a shuddering exhale and holds me tighter, chocking back a cry.

"Clarke..." His words come out as a broken whisper and my heart squeezes painfully. "I can't...not after what they did to me." I nod slowly in understanding.

"You don't have to." I run one of my hands through his dark hair and clench my jaw to keep from crying. I can't bear the thought of everything he's been through, especially since it was because of me. I know I was doing what I had to do, but that doesn't make it any easy decision. Bellamy lets out a loud exhale and it's as if all his strength flows out of him. His knees buckle and I lower the both of us to the ground, trying to ignore the dampness that has soaked into my shirt from my friend's silent tears.

"You're gonna be ok." I whisper. A sob escapes him as he buries his face deeper into my shirt, every ounce of pain and fear that he's been hiding flowing freely from within his soul as we kneel in the grass.

* * *

We sat in the grass for what seemed like forever, neither wanting to go back to camp and be reminded of what we've went through these past few weeks, but eventually it got dark enough that we had to return before someone decided to send out a search party. The two of us trudge quietly through the brush, both thinking about the night's events, I knew that Bellamy had been struggling but I didn't realize how badly. Only time will tell how well he's going to recover, but I can only hope that he'll persevere as always.

Finally, the bright lights of Arkadia greet us as we walk towards the gate. Just as I'm about to enter, Bellamy stops short, letting out a sigh and bowing his head. I reach out and grab his hand, offering him a small smile of encouragement. My companion clenched his jaw before nodding slowly, bracing himself for the usual chaos of our camp. His demeanor quickly changes, whoever, as we step through the gates. None other than Marcus Kane is standing off to the side, his eyes quickly catching our arrival, and he carefully begins to make his way towards us. The second he starts to come our way, Bellamy places himself protectively between me and the older man, glaring in his direction. Kane's steps falter momentarily, but he plows on.

The boy's entire body is rigid as Marcus moves towards us, fury and pain radiating off of him in waves. When the former chancellor is within a few feet of me, he comes to a stop and takes notice of how Bellamy is positioned between us, seemingly ready for an attack. His face deflated slightly and he bows his head for a moment before going to raise a hand to his forehead. The second he starts to move, Bellamy's eyes dart to the gun on his hip, no doubt thinking he was going to reach for it. Marcus shakes his head and slowly raises both hands in surrender.

"Bellamy..." He begins to speak, but my friend immediately cuts him off.

"Don't." His jaw is clenched so tightly that he can barely grind the word out, each letter seeming to be an obstacle. Kane shakes his head in dismay.

"Please, I just want to talk."

"You did plenty of talking in the throne room." With that, Bell grabs my arm and leads me away from the older man. I glance back to see Marcus staring after us, guilt written clearly across his aging features. He watches us for only a moment before turning briskly and walking towards the far end of the camp. I look back at my friend to try and gauge his condition. His jaw is clenched so tightly I'm surprised he hasn't broken a tooth, his entire body is rigid with either anger or anguish, I can't tell which. Bellamy's tight grip on my hand does little to hide the shaking that's once again taken over his form and I let out a quiet sigh, I'm gonna have to find a way to keep him and Kane separate for the time being. He needs more time to heal before we can try to deal with what happened to him.

I'm pulled from my musings when my friend comes to a stop, causing me to look up to see our destination. The plain gray door would look identical to every other one in the compound to a random person, but not to me. It's Bellamy's room. Without another pause, he opens the door and leads me into the dim room, closing the door again once we're inside. He lets go of my arm and moves towards the bed, sitting down on the mattress, exhausted. I'm about to flip the lights on, but I decide against it and leave the room fairly dim. I glance over at my companion and he has his head in his hands, shoulders slumped. I let out a sigh and start to move towards him, standing in front of his tired form.

"Bellamy..." Before I can finish, he reaches up and pulls me down onto the bed with him. He lays down and pulls me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me.

"Please." He whispers. "I can't talk about this anymore." He holds onto me tighter, burying his head in my shoulder. I nod slowly, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"Ok." My words are gentle and he lets out a sigh of relief. Bellamy kisses my forehead and pulls a blanket over us, breathing deeply as we lay there. This is possibly the first peaceful moment we've had since we came back from Polis and I can feel my body being pulled into unconsciousness. It's only a matter of time before the rhythmic sound of Bellamy's heart lulls me to sleep.

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_Well thats it for chapter nine, i hope you guys loved it. i will try to have the next chapter out tomorrow, hopefully. As usual, reviews are welcome and appreciated. i hope you have enjoyed the story so far._


	10. Chapter 10

_Hey guys, so I was able to get this chapter finished on time but I will be out of town for the next 3 days, so I will be unable to update. I should be able to write while I'm away but I'll just have to see how it goes. Anyways, on to chapter Ten!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination._

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Chapter Ten

I'm pulled from my peaceful slumber when the door to Bellamy's room flies open, a dark figure standing in the blinding light. My companion jerks up to a sitting position and throws an arm in front of me protectively, trying to block me from the intruder. The figure moves forward, revealing his identity.

Kane stands in the now brightly lit room, a pistol gripped tightly in his hands, glaring down at the two of us. Bellamy tenses at the sight of the weapon and growls.

"What the hell are you doing?!" A snarl escapes the older man and he takes one step closer.

"Did you really think you could beat ALIE? Did you actually believe that you could keep her from getting phase two of her programming?" My eyes widen as I realize the implications of his words, ALIE is still out there and, consequently, everyone is back under the influence of the chip. One look at my friend and I can tell that he's come to the same conclusion. He raises his hands slowly, eyeing Marcus with a wary look.

"Kane, you can fight this." The former chancellor shakes his head, tightening his grip on the gun.

"She can't be stopped! The City of Light is inevitable and you're only delaying what's to come." I instinctively reach out and latch onto Bellamy's arm, praying that so,show we can calm the quickly escalating situation. The boy next to me swallows thickly, gaze trained on the pistol aimed at him.

"We can stop her, we've done it before. You know what will happen if you let her control you again, she'll destroy everything!" The older man shouts in anger.

"Shut up! You almost cost us everything! I should've killed you when I had the chance in the throne room." An unknown expression overtakes his face, it's something that I've never seen before. My gut twists at the malice that shines through his gaze, a sadistic smile creeping onto his features.

"Better late than never." Without warning, Kane pulls the trigger twice, lodging two bullets into the chest of the boy next to me. I watch as red blood blossoms across the tan flesh of his torso, dripping down onto his stomach.

"No!" A strangled cry escapes me and I lunge forward to catch my friend as he begins to fall back on the bed, eyes wide. I gently lay him down on the pillows, immediately moving to cover the wounds with my palms to try and stem the bleeding. I glance up in search of his attacker, but Kane is nowhere to be found, so I shift my focus back to the man in front of me.

"Stay with me Bellamy!" His breath is coming in ragged gasps, but they're quickly growing shallow as blood seeps from his body. His eyes meet mine and I can see the life draining from him, each best of his heart bringing him closer to death. He tries to whisper something but I can't hear him and I lean towards him.

"It's ok,...you'll be ok." He chokes out the words and I shake my head in frustration.

"Stop that, you're gonna pull through." Tears well in my eyes as I feel the blood seeping through my fingers and pooling around my hands, staining my skin dark red. A small, sad smile graces his lips and he shakes his head weakly.

"Not this time...princess." With that, he lets out one last exhale and head settles limply against the bed, eyes closing. I choke back a sob, frantically trying to get him to wake up.

"Bellamy! Damn it, open your eyes!" Salty tears drip down my cheeks before falling into his clammy skin, mingling with the blood that's pooled there. My heart breaks, every fiber of my being crying out in agony. "Bellamy!" I bite my lip so hard it bleeds, blinking through the tears. "Bellamy!"

I wake up to the sound of someone saying my name, strong hands gripping my arms as I shoot up to a sitting position. I glance around the room wildly, trying to adjust to my surroundings. My eyes land on the dark haired boy sitting next to me in bed, concern evident in his gaze, and I shake my head in confusion.

"What?" I breathe the word out, slowly coming to terms with what happened; it was a dream. The events of my nightmare come crashing down on me and a sob escapes me, my arms immediately reaching out for my companion. Bellamy wraps his arms around my shaking form, trying to calm me down.

"You were dead...it was all my fault." My words come out in a breathless whisper, broken apart by sobs. My friend pulls me closer, rubbing my back gently as he does so.

"Clarke it's ok, I'm ok." His words do little to console me and I continue to cry into his shoulder, my nightmare replaying over and over in my head. Suddenly, he reaches out and grabs my hand and places it on his chest, right on top of his heart. I can feel it's steady beat beneath my fingers. "See? Still beating." I take a steadying breath and manage a slow nod. "I'm right here, nothing's going to happen to me." My sobs have begun to subside and I pull away from him slightly, just enough so I can look at his face.

"You promise?" I know that there are no guarantees in the life that we live, but I need some type of reassurances. Bellamy reaches up and puts his hand on my cheek, looking directly into my eyes.

"I promise. I'm not going anywhere." There's just something about the way he says it, he looks so sincere. Before I can stop myself, I lean forward and kiss him. The kiss starts off slow, both of us wanting to cherish the moment, but it quickly becomes passionate. Bellamy starts to pull me closer and I move into his lap so I'm straddling him, his back pressed against the headboard of the bed. His hands tangle in my blonde hair, weaving into the locks, and my palms rest on his chest. One of his hands leaves my hair and slides down my body, his featherlight touch causing me to sigh. He comes to a stop at my hip, his thumb caressing the delicate skin there. I wrap my arms around his neck and his fingers slip under the fabric of my shirt so they're resting on the small of my back, causing goosebumps to spread across my flesh.

I sigh into the kiss, moving down to kiss his neck. Bellamy inhales deeply and his hands wrap around the hem of my shirt, pulling it up ever so slightly. He pulls away from the kiss and looks at me, his eyes asking silently for permission. Adrenaline pumps through my veins and I nod slowly. He quickly pulls the tight shirt over my head, tossing it across the room, before capturing my lips again in a frenzy. His hands roam over my bare skin, his touch lighting my flesh on fire. Unable to control myself, I immediately grab the bottom of his gray T-shirt and jerk it over his head before tossing it to the side. My fingers run over his sculpted shoulders and back, feeling every muscle moving beneath my fingertips. His hand ghosts over the clasp on my bra, tentatively going to loosen it. When I don't stop him, he unhooks it and I quickly slide the straps from my shoulders and it joins my shirt on the floor.

Without warning, Bellamy rolls us to the side so we're laying down and he's on top of me. He smiles down at me for a moment and I catch sight of his chest, which had been partially covered until now. My eyes land on the crisscrossing map of jagged white scars littering his torso and my face falls slightly, my mind wandering to how they got there. He immediately notices what I'm looking at and moves to get off of me, shame gleaming in his gaze. Before he can leave, however, I grab his arm and shake my head.

"Bellamy, stop." He won't even look at me, positioning his arm so that it covers some of the injuries.

"I don't want you to see me like this." The statement is mumbled so low that I can barely hear him and it takes me a moment to realize what he said. My heart breaks at how ashamed he sounds, how he can't bear to seem vulnerable. I tighten my grip on his bicep and try to get him to look at me.

"Bell, there's nothing to be ashamed of. What happened, happened, there's nothing we can do to change that." I pause for a moment, trying to let me words sink in. "It's over now." My friend shakes his head, finally shifting his gaze so that he's looking at my face.

"I couldn't stop them, Clarke. ALIE, Jaha,...Kane, I couldn't stop them from hurting anyone." I place my hand on his cheek, sorrow seeping into my soul at his confession. It's just like Bellamy to find a reason to blame himself, to find some way to take the guilt from everyone else and let it settle on his own shoulders. He was tortured for trying to stop ALIE, and now he thinks he failed because people got hurt. I sigh sadly and shake my head.

"But you did." He looks at me skeptically, doubt clear in his eyes. "You kept ALIE from getting the passphrase, we were able to shut down the City of Light because she couldn't get phase two of her programming." I use my finger to trace over one of his scars. "This isn't a sign of weakness, they're reminders of your bravery. You never have to be ashamed of them...especially not with me." My words seem to have calmed him down slightly and he slowly moves his arm away from his chest, leaving every scar visible, and lays down next to me. Bellamy pulls me closer to him so my head is resting against his torso, the sound of his heart echoing in my ears.

He doesn't say anything, but I can tell that he's more at ease, that he's taking my words into consideration. Tonight was a small step in Bellamy's recovery, but we're making progress. It's a step in the right direction, that's all I can ask for.

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It's early morning and Bellamy and I are sitting on the edge of the bed, both of us getting ready to head out for the day. My mother needs my help in the Medbay after a few hunters came back injured from a late night run and, as much as I want to avoid her, I know that she needs all the help she can get. With a sigh, I stand to my feet and run my hand through my companions thick hair.

"I'll talk to you later, come find me if you need anything." Bellamy scoffs and rolls his eyes playfully.

"Ok mom." I throw him a sideways glance and am about to answer, when there's a knock at the door. After a few moments, the door is pushed open and Kane appears in the entrance looking uneasy. A scowl automatically finds its way to my face and I cross my arms, preparing for a confrontation. Marcus puts his hands up in surrender.

"I just want to talk, I don't mean any harm." My hands clench into fists and I growl.

"Yeah well here lately that hasn't been the case." He flinches slightly at my tone and I can see the guilt in his eyes as he's reminded of what happened in Polis. Despite my accusation, he plows on.

"Please..." I cut him off before he can continue, not wanting to hear his excuses.

"I think you should leave." My blood boils at just the sight of him right now and my patience is quickly growing thin. Before I can kick him out, however, I feel a hand grasp my arm. I glance down to see Bellamy shaking his head, his body tense but determined.

"It's ok, Clarke." His response catches me off guard and I cock my head to the side in confusion.

"Are you sure?" He doesn't answer out loud, simply nodding his approval before motioning towards the door. I give him a skeptical look, not wanting to leave him alone with the man that caused him so much pain. A tight smile forms at the corner of his mouth and he urges me forward.

"I'll be ok, go help your mom." I can tell that arguing with him is pointless, he's already made up his mind. With a sigh, I slowly exit the bedroom and walk into the hall, giving Marcus a steely glare as I leave. My footsteps echo loudly as I trudge towards the Medbay, my thoughts refusing to leave the boy I left sitting on the bed and what might be going on. These thoughts continue to plague me even as I begin to tend to the wounds of the injured hunting party, settling into the back of my mind as I perform sutures and apply gauze, leaving my attention divided. After about an hour, I have to force myself to focus on what I'm doing rather than what Bellamy and Kane we're talking about. I'll just have to resign myself to asking him about when I see him later today, hopefully then I'll be able to get the answers I want.

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_Well that's it for chapter Ten! I hope you guys enjoyed it and I apologize for the delay on the upcoming chapters. Thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with this story, I appreciate the support. As usual, feel free to leave a review and let me know what you think._


	11. Chapter 11

_Hey guys! im back! sorry for the long update, but i was out of town. Anyways, on to chapter Eleven._

_Disclaimer: i own nothing but my imagination._

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Chapter Eleven

Bellamy's POV

Kane stands in the doorway watching as Clarke walks down the hall, the tension rising rapidly as she goes. After a moment he returns his attention to me, awkwardly searching for words.

"May I come in?" I do my best not to roll my eyes at the question, he sounds like a kid. Instead I motion for him to enter, not dignifying the man with an answer. He quickly moves into the room and closes the door behind him, coming to sit next to me on the bed. I bend down and begin to tie my shoes as he looks for a way to start the conversation. He clears his throat and we sit in silence for a few seconds before he finally speaks, breaking the tense atmosphere with visible effort.

"Bellamy...I'm so sorry." I scoff at his confession, this isn't a good start.

"Everyone is." Im not in the mood for his pity party and it's taking everything in me not to just get up and walk away, leaving him sitting there on his own. Marcus goes to put his hand on my shoulder in what i guess is supposed to be a comforting gesture, but I jerk away, not wanting him anywhere near me. Kane sighs dejectedly and his shoulders sag.

"Bellamy, there is nothing that I can do to make up for what I've done...but you have to understand that I would never do that to you of my own free will. I was under ALIE's control." His statement makes my blood boil, he has the nerve to come in here and try to justify what he did to me. He's acting like he didn't have any part in it! I stand to me feet, furious.

"That's everyone's excuse! That they weren't in their 'right mind.'" I throw my hands up in the air in frustration. "That doesn't make it ok! It's not some free pass that people get to use to make up fir their sins, the chip doesn't erase anyone's action." My heart beats loudly in my ears as anger starts to fill me. "But that's how people are treating it. This isn't something we can just forget about because people don't want to take responsibility!" The tension in the room is palpable, my words echoing loudly in the now quiet room. The silence continues for several moments before Kane speaks, defeat overtaking his features.

"You're right, this isn't something that we can walk away from. But that's why I'm trying to apologize, to repent of my sins." He shakes his head in dismay. "Everything that's happened...I can't even begin to comprehend what you're going through." His words are barely above a whisper. "It's like a nightmare."

"You're wrong." I growl. "You wake up from a nightmare. I can never wake up from this! This isn't going to go away, you can't just repent of your evils and make this disappear." I grab the hem of my shirt and pull it up so Kane can see the scar on my abdomen from the bullet wound, the wound that he inflicted. The second his eyes land on the injury, guilt clouds his gaze, but I don't feel any sympathy. Not now. I want him to understand what he did to me, I want him to know the pain he caused me. "I have to live with this! I have to wake up every single morning and be reminded of what happened to me! Do you know what that's like?!" I jerk my shirt over my head and throw it across the room, revealing the crisscrossing map of scars that cover my body.

"This is what your nightmare did to me!" I motion wildly to myself. "This is real. So stop making excuses and own up to what you did! Stop trying to pass the blame to someone else because you think that you couldn't control your actions." My breathing quickens as rage consumes me, every fiber of my being needing to be released from its agony. "Raven broke free from ALIE's control, so why couldn't you?! Why couldn't you stop?!" With that last sentence it feels as if every bit of my strength rushes out of me as I exhale, leaving me exhausted and weary rather than furious. Why couldn't he stop hurting me? The man who treated me like a son attacked me, and he just kept doing it, he couldn't stop himself. One broken whisper is all I have left to give. "Why couldn't you stop?" Kane looks down at the floor, unable to meet my pleading eyes, and lets his eyes fall closed for a moment. The room is dead silent as he searches for an answer. Finally, my companion raises his head and meets my gaze.

"Bellamy...there's nothing I could ever do or say that will change what happened to you, what I did to you." I can hear the guilt in his voice as he recalls the events in the throne room. "The only thing that I can do is to try and fix it, to try and help everyone move on and heal from their pain...Because if I keep looking at the past and what I've done, it will consume me just like it consumed Jaha. Days will be spent wallowing in guilt and sorrow and I can't do that again, so all I can do is keep looking forward." There's a short pause as he lets out a tired sigh. "I'm just sorry that I couldn't save you from the past." He rises to his feet and begins to move toward the door, his speech apparently over. Just before he reaches the door, he stops and turns to face me. "We're all broken, Bellamy, but we have to choose whether or not we will be destroyed."

I let his words sink in, considering every syllable, trying to fully comprehend exactly what he's said. Yes, he was under ALIE's control but that doesn't mean I can just forget everything he did to me, the pain he put me through. A phantom pain ghosts across my stomach and I place a hand over the old injury, now almost healed. I can still see the look on Kane's face when he pulled the trigger, the hate and malice that consumed his features as he glared at me. It's like all of a sudden something in my head clicks; that wasn't Kane, that was ALIE. The monster that tortured me that day wasn't the same man who's had my back over the past few years. Before I can stop myself, I'm jogging out into the hallway after the older man. I see his retreating form at the end of the corridor and I call out.

"Kane." My voices echoes in the quiet space, causing him to turn around. The former chancellor stares at me for a moment before slowly making his way back over to me, confusion written on his face. My brain struggles to come up with a phrase to explain how I'm feeling, so I take a deep breath to calm myself. "I know that what happened to me...it wasn't your fault." I can see a shred of hope alight in his eyes, my words registering with him immediately, and I pause for a moment to collect myself before continuing. "And maybe, maybe one day I can forgive you...just not today." Kane nods slowly, understanding my need for space. He doesn't push the subject anymore, instead bidding me goodbye and heading off to deal with other matters in the camp. I let out a sigh as I watch him leave, a million thoughts and emotions coursing through my head. Maybe one day we can move on, we can put all of this behind us, but for now I'll just focus on keeping my head above water.

I walk the halls for about an hour, trying to figure out where to go or what to do after my conversation with Kane. I can't go on guard duty until I can handle a gun again, something that I don't see happening any time soon, and I'm not about to go outside the camp without a weapon so that limits my movements. Finally, I decide to go talk to Clarke, she'll probably be finished helping Abby and she'll want to know what Marcus and I talked about anyway. With a tired sigh, I go in search of the blonde, mentally preparing myself for the million questions she'll have for me when I find her.

Clarke's POV

I let out a sigh as I carefully examine the arm of one of the men from last night's hunting party, I believe his name is Peter. There's a large gash across his bicep from a tree branch that cut him when he tried to catch himself after he almost fell down a steep drop off. The group had been taken by surprise by a few wolves who had been roaming the forest and several of our people had been injured while trying to fend off the vicious animals. Luckily, there weren't any casualties, just a few minor wounds.

I quickly finish tending to Peter's arm and begin to wrap gauze around the area to hopefully protect it from infection and I glance around the room in search of anyone else who needs my attention. Instead of another injured hunter, my eyes land on a certain dark haired boy standing by the entrance. Our eyes meet for a moment and I smile before turning back to the man in front of me.

"Ok be sure to keep this dry and avoid using your arm until this cut is healed." He gives a few words of understanding before standing to his feet and exiting the Medbay. I quickly shift my focus back to my friend waiting by the door and I begin to make my way over to him, curiosity creeping into my consciousness.

When I reach him, I put a hand on his arm and offer him a small smile. Not wasting time on pleasantries, already knowing why he's come to find me, I get straight to the point.

"How'd it go with Kane?" He chuckles slightly at my forward attitude before answering.

"Better than I had expected actually. We're not out of the woods yet, but we're working on it." He then proceeds to tell me about what he and Kane had talked about, most of it being what I had expected. I avoid interrupting, despite the millions of questions that are rushing through my head, and let him continue with the story. I simply offer a small nod of approval or understanding as the discussion progresses. I know that there are some things that he's not telling me, but I don't press the issue, instead respecting his privacy. I know that that conversation would've been pretty heavy emotionally and I don't want to make him relive it.

After a few minutes, Bellamy has finished filling me in on what happened and he seems much more at ease now that he's gotten it off his chest. I'm about to open my mouth to speak, when there's a loud crash outside the Medbay, causing my words to fall short of my lips. I immediately turn towards the sound, my companion following suit, and begin to move towards the door. Just before we reach it, an alarm blares throughout the camp, the shrieking noise making me cover my ears.

"What the hell?!" I glance over at Bellamy to see if he has any explanation, but he shakes his head at me, hands clamped over his ears.

There's a yell from behind us and I turn to see one of the men from the hunting party, a teenager with an injured leg, lying on the ground. He must've fallen off trying to get up after the alarm started going off. I move to go help him, but Bellamy waves me off, making his way towards the boy.

"I've got him, find out what's going on!" He has to scream for me to hear him over the roar of the alarm, it's shrill cry echoing through the previously quiet room. With a nod, I walk up to the door, going to peak out of the entrance so I can see the rest of the camp. Just as my head pokes out into the sunlight, a scream erupts off the my right. I immediately turn my attention towards the sound and see a young woman sprinting across the ground, her dark hair whipping wildly in the wind. She motions behind her frantically, her arms moving spastically as she tries to draw my attention towards something behind her. My eyes follow her motions, eventually landing on a series of tents that serve as rooms for some of Arkadia's residents.

I gasp when I see the reason for her hysteria; the tents are on fire. Giant orange flames leap across the material, sending columns of black smoke billowing into the once clear air. I quickly turn back towards the Medbay to alert Bellamy of the situation, hoping my voice will be heard over the shrill alarms.

"The tents are on fire!" My companion immediately looks up from his task of helping the boy, his eyes wide.

"What?! How many?" I shake my head, unable to tell. I divert my gaze back to the fire, watching as flames engulf that part of the camp. The wind has picked up considerably since this morning and, unfortunately, this means that one strong gust could carry embers from the fire our way. There's still people in the Medbay and we have to move them in case the flames reach the building.

"We have to get these people to safety!" I'm about to turn to help my friend move the remaining Skaikru out if medical, when I see a shadow running out of the inferno. At first, I think it's someone from Arkadia who had gotten caught in one of the tents, but I quickly change my mind when I see what the individual is wearing. Thick camouflage covers the entirety of the figure, making their body seem massive. My eyes are immediately drawn to what he holds in his hand; a torch. The wooden object shines brightly in the light, embers falling from its base to settle on the grass beneath the man's feet. I watch in horror as he sprints across the area, leaning down to press the flames against another tent. The material bursts into flames and the man raises the torch in the air triumphantly.

It takes me a moment to find my voice, shock overtaking me. Finally, I shout into the Medbay, my eyes never leaving the intruder.

"Grounders!" I can feel the tension in the atmosphere rise the moment the word leaves my mouth, the entire camp being put on edge. Unfortunately, the man seems to have also heard my warning, his attention turning to me. I'm frozen in my place as I watch him reach into a bag on his shoulder, pulling a canister from the fabric. He holds it up to the torch for a moment before hurling it towards me, the object landing about two feet from me. My eyes land on the canister, a fuse extending about six inches from its base, and I immediately begin to back away.

It's a bomb, and the fuse is lit. I quickly sprint into the Medbay, adrenaline coursing through my veins. My eyes land on Bellamy, his eyes wide in fear.

"Everybody get down!" The words have just left my lips before there's a deafening explosion behind me, the bomb having detonated. I don't have time to even breath before the force hits my back, sending me flying through the air. A yell escapes me as I slam into a filing cabinet, the force knocking the wind out of me. There's a loud crack as my head connects with something hard and then everything goes black.

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_Well thats it for chapter Eleven! i hope you enjoyed it. As always, reviews are welcome and appreciated._


	12. Chapter 12

_Hey guys! Im back to my normal updating schedule now so i was able to get this chapter finished on time. Just a heads up, this one is a little long. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination._

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Chapter Twelve

Bellamy's POV

I wake up to a shrill ringing sound in my ears, the buzzing causing my head to ache painfully. Slowly, I open my eyes to take in my surroundings. Dust floats through the Medbay, the destroyed room looking like its encased in a cloud, and I blink wearily to try and clear my vision. A cough escapes me and I reach up to put a hand to my head, hissing when the movement sends a stab of pain through my arm. I instinctively go to cover the injured area, moving my hand to my throbbing bicep. I sigh when my hand comes away covered in blood, the red substance already soaking through my thin T-shirt. I groan loudly as I sit up, wincing as the movement causes stars to dance across my vision.

I probably hit my head during the explosion, great. Just one more injury to add to the list. I blink my eyes, trying to chase the stars away, and start scanning the area around me for any threats. My gaze lands on a still form lying a few feet away from me, the young boy I was helping earlier having been knocked out as well.

I carefully drag myself over to his position, moving my fingers to his neck to feel for a pulse. I'm met with a steady heartbeat and nod slowly, gently shaking the boy's shoulder.

"Come on kid, wake up." The boy moans in pain at the sudden movement, but his eyes flutter open and he glances at me with confusion.

"Wha' happ'ned?" His speech is slurred and he's severely disoriented, his gaze flitting between me and a spot on the wall. The boy suddenly tries to sit up, tipping to the side slightly at the sudden movement, and I shake my head.

"Hey hold on just a minute. Let me make sure you're ok before you try to get up." He stares at me for a moment, or at least tries to with his unsteady gaze, before settling back down onto the ground. I carefully check him over to make sure that he wasn't hurt too badly and do my best to assess his condition. Luckily, aside from a gash on the side of his head, which is probably what is causing most of his confusion, he seems to be alright. It's quite possible that he has a concussion, but I can't be totally sure. I'll have to get Clarke to examine him later.

Clarke. My heart skips a beat when I remember the events that led up to the explosion; the fire, the Grounder warning, Clarke running into the Medbay screaming. She was closest to the blast when it went off. I immediately turn towards the spot where I last saw her standing by the door, looking for any sign of the girl. My eyes land on a body lying by one of the medical cabinets, it's partially covered by debris. Without missing a beat, I sprint to the scene, dropping to my knees next to her. I quickly move the debris off of her, finally able to get a good look at her condition. My hands shake as I gently roll the blonde onto her back to finish examining her, looking for any signs of harm.

By some miracle, there aren't any serious injuries. Blood seeps from a cut on her forehead but, other than some bruises, she seems to be alright. I breathe a sigh of relief at the good news, thanking God that my friend is relatively unscathed after the event. That relief is short lived, however, as the stench of smoke reaches my nose, the smell floating in from outside. I quickly stand to my feet and move towards the door to find the source of the smoke. The second I open the door, I'm met by ten foot tall flames leaping across the grass. Burning heat sears into my skin, the temperature almost immediately becoming close to unbearable as the inferno approaches. The tent fire must've spread. I've got to get these people out of here before the smoke poisons the air in the Medbay.

Without anymore hesitation, I run back to where Clarke is lying on the ground, still unconscious. I stoop down and gather her in my arms, wincing as the movement puts painful strain on my recovering injuries, and carry her over to one of the beds. I gently set her down on the cot, glancing over the rest of the room's inhabitants. There's the boy with the injured leg I helped earlier, and two others that seem to barely be conscious. There's no way I can get everyone out before the fire reaches us. Just as I'm about to start figuring out what to do, Raven and Kane burst into the room through a back entrance. The two look a little worse for wear, with Raven sporting a nasty gash on her cheek and Kane bleeding heavily from a wound in his shoulder. Despite their injuries, they seem to be ok. I nearly cry out in relief when the duo enter the Medbay, desperately needing their help. The second her eyes land on me, Raven sprints to my side.

"What happened?!" Her fast shifts to Clarke, her dark eyes clouded with worry.

"A Grounder set off a bomb, Clarke was closest to the blast." She runs a hand through her brown hair, clearly concerned about her friend's condition. "She'll be alright, we just have to get everyone out of here before the fire reaches us. The girl nods quickly, determination covering her features. She immediately moves over to the hunter with the injured leg.

"Can you walk?" The boy shakes his head, his face contorted in pain. Raven takes hold of his arm, positioning it over her shoulder. "I've got you." With a grunt, and a hiss of pain from the hunter, she hauls him to his feet and begins to make her way over to the back entrance. Kane goes to do the same, getting a firm grip on one of the other hunter's arms and repeating Raven's actions. He glances between me, Clarke, and the last of the wounded, trying to figure out what to do. A frown adorns his face and he locks eyes with me, determination set in his features.

"I'll come back for him." Without another word, he exits the room with the injured man in tow. He sneaks one last glance towards me, his steps faltering for a moment, before walking out the door, leaving me alone with the remainder of the room's inhabitants. Even after what happened to me, I can't help but trust Kane's word; I know that he'll be back. The only question is, will it be in time? No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than a loud crash echoes outside the Medbay, the sound reverberating through my ringing ears. The door flies open as the force of a support beam slams into it, the flaming object having fallen over and hit the door.

Smoke begins to billow into the room, the black substances covering the ceiling in a thick cloud, and I can feel the heat of the flames on my skin. My mind races as I try to think of what to do, I can't get both Clarke and the hunter out before the whole room becomes toxic from the fumes. While running through my options, I lift Clarke up off the bed and move her closer to the door, which is farther away from the fire. I quickly do the same with the injured hunter and kneel down next to him.

"Can you get up?" The man seems to barely register my question, but starts to try and get up nevertheless. The second he gets to his feet, however, he pitches sideways and goes crashing back to the ground. It looks like he has a concussion, perfect. There's no way he's going to be able to walk out of here on his own. I sit there for a moment, considering my options, coughing loudly as the smoke begins to burn my lungs.

Suddenly, Raven and Kane come barreling through the entrance, both having delivered their companions to safety. A sigh escapes me at their impeccable timing and a small smile creeps onto my face.

"Perfect timing." Raven shrugs with a grin.

"I mean most things about me are perfect." I roll my eyes at her joke before motioning for the duo to help me. Marcus goes to help the hunter to his feet, wincing in pain as the movement jars his injured shoulder. My female companion immediately stops him, shaking her head. "I've got him." The older man goes to protest, but she silenced him with an impatient glare and proceeds to haul the hunter up off the ground. I move to do the same with Clarke, carefully gathering the girl in my arms and standing to my feet. I glance at the rest of the room's inhabitants, the temperature quickly rising because of the fire.

"Ready?" Both of them nod and begin to moves towards the door, Raven going first. Just as I'm about to exit, I hear a loud growl behind me, causing my steps to falter. My heart beats loudly as I turn around in search of the source of the sound, already preparing myself for what I might find. I scan the room, finding nothing, and my eyes fixate on the flames. A dark shadow seems to have appeared, but the fire has shrouded the area in smoke, making it impossible to be sure. My vision strains as I continue to stare into the inferno, Kane's voice echoing behind me, he's obviously spotted the shadow as well. Suddenly, the shadow seems to take shape, materializing right before my eyes. A gasp escapes me as a Grounder emerges from the flames, the tips of his clothing singed from the heat. The torch in his hand glows brightly, slowly adding to the collection of smoke in the room.

My heart rate increases as he begins to make his way around the support beam, looking for a way to get in the door. I glance back at my companions, each either weighed down or injured, and my heart sinks. There's no way we're going to be able to outrun the Grounder in this condition, he'd catch us before we ever got to safety. Dread fills me and I look down at the girl in my arms, her blonde hair covered in dust from the explosion. If that Grounder gets his hands on any of us, especially the injured, he'll kill them. My eyes fall closed for a moment and I sigh. I can't let them die, I can't let HER die. Without pausing I turn to Kane, knowing what I have to do.

"Take her." His eyes widen and he glances down at Clarke, shaking his head.

"I'll handle the Grounder, you get her out of here." I clench my jaw, wanting nothing more than to do what he says. I wish that I could just run out of here and make sure she makes it to safety, to let someone else sprint into danger, but I know I can't.

"You're no good in a fight with that shoulder Kane, he'd kill you." The older man once again refuses, continuing to argue.

"And what do you think he'll do to you, throw a couple punches and back off?" He motions wildly with his good arm, trying to reason with me. "Bellamy, a few weeks ago you were as good as dead! And now you wanna go toe-to-toe with someone who just took on our entire camp? You're insane if you think that's gonna work, you can't..."

"Kane." I cut him off before he can continue and glance back towards the flames; the Grounder is almost through. Just a few more seconds and he'll be upon us. "We're out of time." Without hesitating, I thrust Clarke into Marcus' arms and turn to face the intruder, ignoring the man's slightly pained wince at the movement. I can hear my companion stammering behind me, trying to come up with some other way to get me to reconsider, but I ignore his pleas. I spare one last look at the duo by the door, fearing that this will be the last time I see them. My eyes land on Clarke lying in his arms and my resolve falters for a moment, but I quickly push it away. There's no other way.

"Take care of her." Kane meets my gaze, a silent conversation passing between us, and I know that he will; he has to. He gives me a small nod in reassurance. Even after everything that's happened, I trust his word and I know that he won't let me down, no matter what happens.

There's a loud roar as the Grounder finally clears the support beam, emerging from the flames like a demon from Hell. With a steadying breath, I reach down and grab a piece of pipe that had been unearthed when the bomb exploded and grip it tightly. Kane stands in his place, staring at the enemy with anger written across his features. I clench my fists and wave towards the door.

"Get out of here!" Without another word, he turns and runs out the door with Clarke in his arms. They'll make it, they have to. My thoughts are pulled back to the issue at hand when the Grounder snarls, gripping the torch in his hand with white knuckles. His voice suddenly echoes through the room.

"You! You're one of the Skaikru scum who killed two of my tribe in Polis!" My heart sinks as the man bellows, this is just my luck. I try to play off my nervousness with a shrug.

"Last I checked, your people were trying to kill me at the time." My words only fuel the intruder's anger and he growls.

"They attacked you because they were under the influence of the technology that your people brought into our land! You will pay for what you've done to this world." With that, he charges at me, the torch raised above his head like a club. He swings it in a wide arc towards my head and I'm barely able to raise the pipe in time to block it. The wood connects with the metal with a loud crack, the force reverberating through the material and into my hands. Embers rain down from the torch at the contact, showering my jacket with tiny sparks. I lock eyes with my opponent, hatred beaming in his gaze, and he shoves me back with the wood. I stumble slightly from the force of his muscular frame, the man is easily 250 pounds, leaving me at a disadvantage. He advances towards me and I barely dodge the fist that's headed straight for my face, ducking to the left to avoid the blow. As I move, I throw a punch to his rib cage, watching him buckle slightly as I make contact. His pain only lasts for a moment, though, before he's upon me again. The man kicks out with his leg, the blow connecting solidly with my thigh, and I grunt as it hits directly on top of the freshly healed knife wound.

My lungs burn as I breathe in the thick smoke that's enveloped the room, the fire licking dangerously at the doorstep as it's flaming tendrils leap hungrily towards the building. I block another punch and ram my shoulder into the Grounder's chest, sending him reeling backward from the force of the hit. Keeping the momentum, I swing the pipe towards him and manage to make contact with his nose. Blood immediately begins to flow from the injury and my opponent wipes it away with a snarl, his face contorted with rage. With that, he charges towards me and slams into my midsection, lifting me off the ground slightly. Before I can react I'm being thrown into the wall, the metal digging painfully into my back as the other man crushes me. I can feel the heat from the flames as they grow closer, my skin feeling as if it will melt at any moment. I groan as the pressure builds against my torso and I wriggle against his grip, desperately trying to get free as pain flares in the healing gunshot wound in my stomach. Because I'm pinned slightly above the ground, I begin to force my knee in between us, using his leg as leverage.

When I've created about a foot of space, the Grounder starts to let go because he's losing his advantage, and tries to regroup. Fortunately, when he let go it released all the pressure between my leg and his body, allowing me to bring my knee up with much more force. He grunts when it hits his chin, the blow making his teeth clack together loudly, and he stumbles backwards as I'm dropped back onto the floor. I bend down for a moment to catch my breath, the smoke having filled my lungs. I'm about to make a move, when he pulls a knife from his belt, a malicious smile on his face. The blade glints a bright orange as the inferno rages around us, casting a devilish shadow on everything in the room. My opponent slashes at me with the knife, it's razor sharp edge barely missing my flesh as I dive out of the way. I don't have time to recover before his next assault, and the blade slices through my jacket, cutting the skin on my upper arm.

I gasp as pain tears through my flesh, blood seeping through the fabric of my clothing. He slashed the air in front of me, missing by a mere inch, and continues the movement as I frantically back away. Now that he has me off balance, he throws his leg out and kicks my feet out from underneath me, sending me sprawling across the floor. Before I can get back up, he leaps on top of me and goes to plunge the blade into my chest. I have just enough time to catch his arm before the knife can cut into my skin, the metal hovering dangerously close to my torso. The Grounder leans into his arm, putting even more weight against my shaking hands. His eyes glint with blood thirst as he looks down at me.

"Jus drein, just daun." My heart beats wildly as I begin to lose my grip on his arm, the knife edging ever closer to me. I glance around frantically for anything that I can use. My eyes land on the pipe that I had earlier and I brace my forearm against my opponent, hoping that it will be enough to hold him off. With a grunt, I reach for the piece of metal, my fingertips grazing it. I can feel my hold on the Grounder slipping as I try desperately to reach the pipe and I know I'm running out of time. Just as I'm about to lose my hold, my hand wraps around my weapon and I sigh in relief.

Using all of my strength, I slam the metal into the side of the other man's head, causing him to lose his grip on the knife. I quickly throw him off of me and roll to the side, watching as the blade is dropped onto the floor. My relief is short lived, however, as a bolted foot connects with my side. I double over in pain and I feel strong hands grip my back, hoisting me up off the ground. Before I know it, I'm being hurled across the room, groaning as I hit a table that's sitting off to the side. I clutch my side and go to sit up, watching as the Grounder begins to approach me. I'm about to get up, when my eyes land on a black bag lying on the floor next to me. It must have gotten knocked off the table. My heart skips a beat as my gaze travels to the inside of the bag, a metal object glinting from the material. Without hesitation, I reach out a grab it, freezing when I realize what it is.

I swallow thickly as the gun weighs heavily in my hand, the object shining menacingly in the firelight.

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_Well thats it for chapter Twelve, i hope you guys enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone whos followed this story as it nears its conclusion and as always, reviews are welcome and appreciated._


	13. Chapter 13

_Hey guys! We made it, it's the last chapter! It's a little long but I wanted to make sure it had a worthy ending. Anyways, on to,chapter Thirteen!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination_

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Chapter Thirteen:

Bellamy's POV

The gun in my hand feels foreign, like it's some unearthly object that has suddenly been thrust into my grasp. The flames that have overtaken the Medbay reflect off the pistol's metal frame, making me feel as if it will burn my palm simply by touching it. My mind reels as the weapon brings back memories of the throne room; Clarke's desperate cries, the gunshot, agonizing pain, darkness. My fingers begin to tremble as the trauma resurfaces, I'm literally holding the very thing that almost killed me. A phantom gunshot rings in my ears and I flinch, the shock somewhat bringing me back to reality.

My eyes land on the Grounder, his menacing form looming ever closer as he shakes off the disorientation from the blow I'd delivered with the pipe. I glance between him and the gun, watching as he closes in with each passing second, his image blurring slightly from the smoke that's enveloped the room. My heart is beating so quickly that I'm scared it might jump out right out of my chest, my lungs tightening as panic starts to set it. I know I'm running out of time, but I can't get myself to take action, it's like I'm frozen in place. My mind is screaming for me to move, to fight back, to do something, but my body refuses to obey. Every muscle is locked, seized by my anxiety. My breathing quickens as my opponent comes nearer, rage and hate coming off of him in waves.

I can feel my grip around the pistol beginning to loosen, every fiber of my being wanting to just drop it on the ground despite my desperate need for protection in my current situation. The man continues to advance and, when he's about twenty feet from me, he speaks.

"Skaikru will pay for what they did to this world." I clench my jaw as he draws closer, his voice dropping lower. "First, I'm going to kill you. Then I'm going to send the rest of your people to their graves and, I promise you,...every single one of them is going to suffer like I have suffered." The mention of my friends seems to pull me from my haze, my focus slowly beginning to sharpen. Their faces flash through my mind; Raven, Murphy, Monty, Harper, Jasper, Octavia,...Clarke. There's no telling what condition all of them are in after what happened today, or if they're protecting other survivors. I can't let the Grounder get to them.

I shake my head vigorously, trying clear the anxious fog from my mind. Suddenly, my opponent lets out an animalistic roar, bringing the torch up above his head, preparing to deliver the final blow. His cry finally snaps me out of my daze and, in an instant, swing my arms out in front of me and take aim. My instincts kick in and I don't even flinch when the gunshots ring through the air, my finger pulling the trigger one, two, three times. I watch as every round embeds itself in my opponent's chest, his body jerking with each hit, and his arms fall limp at his sides. He sways unsteadily for a moment, the life draining from him, and I barely have time to roll out of the way before the Grounder comes crashing to the floor with a thud.

I stare at the body for a moment, adrenaline coursing through my veins from the fight, before rolling onto my side and tucking the pistol into my waistband. I sit there for a moment before going to take a deep breath. Unfortunately, the fire has spread and now covers most of the room, the smoke filling my lungs as I breathe. A violent cough escapes me as the substance enters my lungs, my chest burning like it's coated in acid. The smoke is so thick that I can barely see, my vision limited to only a few feet in front of me, and the entire space is tinted bright orange. My eyes water as I roll onto my stomach, pulling the collar of my shirt up to cover my nose, and I try to stay close to the ground in search of fresh air. Slowly, I begin to crawl across the floor and scan the area as I try to find the door. My eyes sting painfully and my vision is blurry, the smoke is so thick that I can't even begin to guess where the exit is.

My clothes are soaked with sweat from the intense heat, the liquid dripping down from my hairline to collect in my eyes. Dark brown hair is plastered to my forehead as the heat suffocates me, my lungs refusing to take in enough oxygen as I trudge across the ground. My entire body aches from the beating that it has taken and fatigue is starting to set in, my muscles finally being pushed to their breaking point. I hear a loud creak above me and glance up to see a beam bending dangerously, the fire becoming too much for it to handle. I gasp as it buckled under the strain and I barely have enough time to roll out of the way before it comes crashing down, sending burning embers showering over my body. Another cough escapes me and I groan, my throat raw from the fog, and I swallow thickly. The action does little to soothe the ache, the heat having drawn all of the moisture from my body and leaving me bone dry. I squeeze my eyes shut against the mounting pain, trying to figure out how to get out of here. Exhaustion grips me as I try to open my eyes again, fighting desperately against unconsciousness, and I can feel myself slipping away.

I'm almost gone, the fire pulling every ounce of strength from me, when I hear something in the distance. It's a warbled noise, all of its power being drained by the roar of the flames and for a moment I think my mind was playing tricks on me. I'm proved wrong when I hear it again, closer, clearer this time. The call sounds familiar, my brain trying to fight through the carbon dioxide haze from the flames to identify the source. Suddenly, the voice screams out into the inferno, it's message clear as day.

"Bellamy!...Bellamy!" I nearly cry out in relief when I'm finally able to hear the noise clearly. Kane's voice rings through the air like a siren, breaking through the all consuming scream of the fire.

"Help! I..." I try to yell to him, but I'm choked by the smoke, the substance once again filling my lungs and stealing my voice. I'm wracked by hacking coughs and I can feel the blackness closing in on me, I'm running out of time. With every ounce of energy that I have left, I scream out.

"Over here!" Im immediately punished for my actions and my breath comes in ragged gasps, my chest seizing agonizingly as it tightens. Just as I'm about to curl in on myself and give in to the pain, a shadow emerges from the flames, frantically moving through the room. Kane drops to his knees next to me, his hand quickly moving to my shoulders to hold me still.

"Bellamy!" He lifts my head up slightly so I meet his gaze. "Come on kid, I've got you. Can you walk?" I try to answer, but nothing comes out except a pitiful wheeze and he nods in understanding. "Lets get you out of here." Without another word, he reaches down and positions my arm over his shoulders, hauling me to my feet. He half drags me towards what I imagine is the door. I try to help him, but my legs are sluggish from my lack of oxygen and I'm having a difficult time getting them to move. Finally, my eyes land on the exit and I let out a sigh as Kane shoves the door open, leading me out of the inferno. The two of us trudge through the hallway, coughing slightly as the smoke billows out of the Medbay and into the corridor. I'm lightheaded as we move quickly through the compound, making our way towards the outside world. Finally, we're at the last door and my companion pushes it open with a grunt, exposing us to the elements.

Fresh air hits me like a train, the sudden change almost eliciting another coughing fit. A grateful sigh escapes me as my lungs are flushed clean of the burning smoke that had been ravaging them in the Medbay, my chest finally releasing the pressure that had been built up. Marcus leads me further away from the compound, my eyes focusing on the small group of people waiting in a small clearing next to the fence. Raven, Monty, Murphy, Jasper, and the rest are waiting as my companion basically carries most of my weight away from the flames. Every pair of eyes turns towards Kane and I as we burst out of the flames, thankful cheers echoing through the air. When we're about five feet from them, my knees buckle from exhaustion and I start to fall. Luckily, Raven is close enough to catch me, gently lying me on the ground as I try to catch my breath, the cool evening air soothing my aching lungs. Once I'm off my feet, my eyes roam the crowd around me.

They all look to be in good shape, only a few minor injuries are visible and I'm relieved to see that all of them made it out before anything serious could happen. My gaze quickly shifts towards the rest of Arkadia, searching for any other threats. The multitude of fires that had been raging before the explosion have been extinguished, other uninjured Arkadians having put them out to keep the flames from spreading. People are already moving towards the Medbay, preparing to fight back the fire. I go to bring a hand to my forehead and I realize that my hands are almost black, my skin completely covered in soot. A quick check shows that my whole body seems to have suffered the same fate, my clothes singed from the flames. I'm pulled from my thoughts when Raven puts her finger in my face, pointing at me accusingly.

"Bellamy Blake I swear to God if you ever pull a stunt like that again I'm gonna kick your sorry ass from here to the Dropship!" I can hear the relief in her voice even as she threatens me, the worry evident in her features.

"I'll keep that in mind." I wince at how raspy my voice is, the smoke having made my throat raw. Suddenly my thoughts wander to the girl who I risked my life for and I immediately begin to sit up, glancing around the area. Raven puts her hand on my chest and gently but firmly pushes me back down, a knowing look on her face.

"Easy there, tiger." She jerks her head to the left, where I look over to see Clarke lying on the grass with Abby kneeling next to her. She looks alright, even with the soot and debris that cover her clothes and hair. "She's still knocked out but Abby checked her over and, aside from a concussion and some bruises, she's gonna be ok." I nod slowly, my eyes never leaving the blonde girl. "Thanks to you." A small smile greets my face at her words and I shift my position so I'm facing her again. Before I can speak, a towel is landing on my stomach and I glance up to see Murphy with a smirk on his face.

"Figured you'd wanna wipe that mess off you're face." He motions towards my soot covered body. "You look like crap." I roll my eyes and push myself up into a sitting position.

"Gee, I hadn't noticed." I wipe the towel over my face, grimacing as it comes away coated with thick black grime. I look over and see Murphy staring at the Medbay, the flames having been extinguished, leaving a smoldering mess in its wake. He shakes his head in disbelief.

"And you guys call me the cockroach." His words elicit a few chuckles from the group and I scoff, my eyes settling on the wreckage. Only moments ago, those flames had surrounded me, suffocating me and the people I care about. I'm lucky to be alive and so are they. At the thought of my companion, my eyes wander over to where she was lying. The blonde had apparently woken up during my conversation with Murphy and she's sitting up, her eyes scanning the area around her. After a moment, she looks in my direction, our eyes finally meeting. A smile leaps onto her face and she checks me over from a distance, looking for any injuries. I give her a small nod to indicate that I'm alright and she motions towards the fence, obviously wanting to talk.

Apparently our silent conversation hasn't gone unnoticed and Murphy sighs dramatically.

"Well go on, the Princess is waiting." My attention is focused back on the group and it doesn't take long to notice that all of them agree with Murphy's statement. With an amused chuckle, I slowly rise to my feet, offering them one last thankful glance, and head off towards the fence. Clarke is already waiting, her relief barely contained as I make my way towards her, and I smile, glad that both of us made it through.

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Clarke's POV

The setting sun shines warmly on my skin as Bellamy and I walk by the outer fence in Arkadia, the dimming light sending orange and red rays glittering across the ground now that the fire has died down. This is my favorite time of day, when the entire area is bathed in colorful light and the chaos of the day begins to wind down. This is what I used to imagine Earth would look like back when I lived on the Ark, it's what I would draw in my sketchbooks when I was lucky enough to find a colored pencil instead of the usual black charcoal. I glance over at my companion and see the sun bouncing off of his face, lighting his usually dark eyes up with barely concealed fire.

My thoughts roam to the conversation he had with Kane. Could we really move on? Is there a real chance that our people can put the City of Light behind us and continue with our lives? If Bellamy can even consider forgiving Marcus for what he did, then maybe there's hope for the rest of us. My musings are interrupted when my friend trips on a stray tree root that's sprung up, desperately reaching for the fence to keep himself from falling. He manages to stay upright, but the sudden movement causes him to clutch at his stomach in pain.

"Shit, Bellamy are you ok?" I immediately move to help him and he nods slowly, but his eyes land on something behind me and he quickly straightens. I turn to see what he's looking at and catch sight of a woman staring at the two of us, pity and sorrow overwhelming their gaze. My companion quickly turns away from the girl, frustration clear on his face. I put a hand on his shoulder, a questioning look on my face.

"What's wrong?" He glances in the woman's direction once more before focusing his attention on me.

"I wish everyone would stop treating me like I'm gonna break." His words come out as a growl and it catches me off guard. I shake my head.

"They're just concerned, who wouldn't be after what happened? They're not treating you like you're gonna break." He clenched his jaw, trying to mask his frustration.

"Oh really? Then how come every time I trip or try to do anything that involves me actually working, everyone acts like it's the end of the world?" I don't really have an answer to his question, I hadn't realized that people were treating him that differently. Instead I let out a sigh, placing my hand in his shoulder.

"Everything will go back to normal soon, they just need time to process what happened." Bellamy scoffs.

"Normal." He pauses, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "There was never a normal here. It was always just about surviving, by any means necessary. On the Ark, on the ground, it's always the same. We were constantly fighting for our lives, that was our reality." He turns to me. "We had a routine, but we were never normal." His words hit me hard, every obstacle that we've gone through replaying in my head.

"I guess that's true." I let out a long sigh. "But we made it. After everything that's happened, we're ok."

"Are we?" Bellamy comes to a stop, pausing mid stride to address me with disbelief in his face. "I don't think I've seen Monty smile since we got back, Raven won't crack a joke, Jasper's closed himself off, and O...I don't even know what she's turning into." He pauses, glancing around the camp with a far off look. "We've all gotten lost in the dark." We sit in silence for a moment, both of us taking in what he said. I think back to all the horrors that we've experienced on the ground; acid fog, Grounder attacks, Mountain Men, all the blood, gore, and violence. We were all a bunch of kids who didn't even know what grass felt like, who had never felt the sun on their skin. Now, we're nothing but victims of life's atrocities.

"Do you think there's any way to go back to the people we used to be? The way we were before we had to stand against the world. When we were fascinated by fresh air and warm water and rain, by the simple fact that there was more than just our life in space. Before the bloodshed, before the war, before we lost our souls to this place." My thoughts drift to glowing butterfly fields and rushing rivers, green grass and the setting sun. The life we had for those precious few days on Earth. "When we would act like kids for the first time in our lives simply because we could? Do you think we could go back to when we were kids instead of criminals, teenagers instead of warriors?" I glance over at him, waiting for his answer. After a moment, he shakes his head in defeat.

"We'll never be those kids again." My friend's shoulders slump as he gives his conclusion. "We've been through too much just to forget it all, we can't erase the scars that life has left on our souls." He grows quiet, his words like a dead weight on his soul. Slowly, I reach out and grab his hand.

"We could try." Bellamy looks over at me, a small sliver of hope shining in his dark eyes. "We can't forget about everything that's happened, everything that we've done, but we can move forward. We can find ourselves again, the ones that we lost after the world beat us down." He moves closer to me, placing his other hand on my cheek.

"Do you think it could ever work?" His voice is barely above a whisper, pleading for a solution. "Do you think we could ever escape from the things that we've done?" My heart almost breaks at his desperate need for redemption, his longing to know that he can be forgiven. I give a small nod of my head, praying that I have the strength for words. Finally, I'm able to compose myself enough to speak.

"I think anything is possible." Before I can react his lips are on mine, his strong arms pulling me close. Bellamy's entire body trembles as he kisses me, every bit of sorrow and worry being released after burying it for so long.

Slowly, he pulls away and I nearly cry out in relief when I see the beginning of a smile on his face, a real, genuine smile. A small spark of hope flashes in his eyes, a tiny glimmer that maybe, just maybe, not all is lost. I stare at him, waiting for the glimmer to disappear, but it doesn't. For the first time in weeks, I get a glimpse of the boy who held the weight of the world on his shoulders without breaking a sweat. I see the charming, charismatic leader who would risk his life for his people. I see my best friend. With that one look I'm convinced that we'll be ok, that for once in our lives, everything is going to work out.

THE END

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_Well that's it for chapter Thirteen! And for the story for that matter. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and I hope that you were satisfied with the way that it went. I just want to give a giant thank you to everyone who has followed through with this story, I really appreciate the support. Even though this was the last chapter, I would still appreciate any reviews you would like to write so I could hear your thoughts on the story. Once again, thank you for reading._


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